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General News of Thursday, 22 November 2012

Source: Daily Guide

Ohene Ntow Slams 9 Graves

A FORMER General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Ohene Ntow says the decision by the NDC government to order the digging of more graves upon the death of President John Evans Atta Mills has become a curse on the nation.

“I don’t think the steps taken to get the nine graves are the best for the country. It is a taboo…it should not be entertained but must be condemned in no uncertain terms,” he said on Oman Fm, an Accra based radio station Monday.

He said if President John Mahama cannot come out to explain the rationale behind the digging of nine graves then he should order the closure of the rest of them because “it portends a bad omen for the country and its leaders.”

Nana Ohene-Ntow noted that it was not the ordinary person who was to be buried in the graves but rather the country’s leaders. He wants the President to explain why graves should be dug when no leader is dead.

“When you talk about some of these things they take a defensive posture and try to incite the public against you. This is about our lives and our beliefs and we cannot shy away from it.

“All those who believe in God should rise up and pray to the Almighty that none of our leaders die so that the government will decide that he/she should be buried in any of the remaining graves.

“What I am saying is coming from my heart…it is coming from my own spirit. It is a taboo for President Mahama to sanction the digging of nine graves…who are the graves waiting for?

He said that when it comes to the death of any statesman particularly Presidents, family considerations take precedence adding “Be that as it may, the late President Mills was buried at Asomdwee Park but what baffles me is the digging of additional graves, nine or so. I have never understood that decision and I will continue to ask questions.”

“The circumstance leading to the final decision to bury President Mills in Accra was unpleasant but I don’t want to comment further for the sake of the family.

“What happened – that one person dies (Mills) and it leads to the digging of nine graves? What was the significance of that? Is that why our leaders have started dying? We need answers.”

He accused the NDC of making frantic attempts to hijack the funeral of the late former Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, but for the resistance put up by his family.

“When Aliu died, without extensive consultation, they said they were going to bury him there too. Even when Aliu’s final burial place had not been sorted out, Haruna Iddrisu ran to the media to announce that he was to be buried at the Osu Military Cemetery before a government release said it was rather at the Asomdwee Park.”

“Those of us wearing political lenses knew what they were trying to do. They knew that when Aliu’s body was flown to Tamale, it was going to soar the popularity of the NPP that was why they wanted to bury him in Accra against the wish of the family.”

“There is no doubt that it was a political funeral and the NDC wanted to hijack it to score cheap political points.

“They almost did the same thing to Doris Asibi Seidu, NPP MP for Chereponi who died in 2009 and I had to personally fend off the NDC interference.”

“Anytime disaster befalls the nation, the NDC wants to use it for propaganda whether appropriate or inappropriate.”