Ex-President Limann's Family Struggling

As the Kufour administration struggles to fine-tune the Greenstreet Report with the view to providing decent resettlement package for the benefit of the families of both dead and living heads of state, the Ghanaian Chronicle can report that the family of the late Dr. Hilla Limann, President of the nation from 1979 to 1981, is in dire straits, battling with ordinary day to day financial obligations and the gnawing fear of the auctioneer?s gavel, if help should fail to arrive on time.

Prompted by the ugly noises being made about the security detail of ex-President Jerry John Rawlings, as regards the number of vehicles, houses, medical expenses and other arrangements that ought to be in place for him for his comfort, The Chronicle newspaper attempted to approach the families of the late Kow Nkensen Arkaah and the late Hilla Limann, to find out whether the State had any programme or package in that direction for them. After trailing and even waylaying family members for three months at the gates of the Arkaahs Cantoments residence, no word would come out of their mouths ? till an eagle from the USA mailed us the telephone number of one of Arkaah?s daughters, said to be residing at the Airport residential area with husband.

Even so, the only comment from her was: no comment. The terse no comment message was delivered in a tone that suggested that the family would not be bothered by anything political, knowing what bitter political pill had been given to their royal before his sad exit from Ghana?s turbulent political landscape. Efforts to speak with late Dr Limann?s wife, Fulera, also failed, but the paper gathered that the family?s educational and medical bills are still borne by her. And so are utility and other bills.

With nearly all her children in school, Mrs Fulera Limann, virtually has to squeeze water out of stone to keep her house from falling apart. The last time she received free medication was when she was involved in a motor accident as she accompanied her late husband?s mortal remains to his hometown in Gwollu in the Upper Region. Since then, all her medical bills, whether with regard to her person, children, or house helps, have been borne by her.

A malignant growth that developed on her hand after unfriendly stitches she had to receive in the course of the treatment, following the accident, is yet to be treated. Doctors call that particular growth kelloid, and it involves plastic surgery if it must be aesthetically treated.

About five years ago, the state, in a belated move of reconciliation, donated ?41 million to the Limann family to enable them get by and manage issues. That was the last by way of state support to the family whose batik business is suffering from lack of credit for expansion, poor sales, in spite of the acclaimed quality of her products, and inability of creditors to pay up on time for goods received from her. The ?41 million works up to about ?170,000 per month for the whole of the Limann family from December 31, 1981, when there was a change of government, to date.

Dr Limann passed away a few years ago after he reported at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for treatment with a case of malaria, the disease that kills a million African children, mostly from poor homes, yearly. Mr Nkensen Arkaah also died a few years ago in a motor accident near the National Film and Television Institute, Accra, very close to his residence.