Achuliwor laid to rest

Burial took place on Saturday at a family cemetery at Navrongo in the Upper East Region of the Mr John Setuni Achuliwor, Member of Parliament (MP) for Navrongo Central and Deputy Minister of Communications and Technology.

Dignitaries from all walks of life, including President John Agyekum Kufuor who flew in straight from Niamey, Niger, where he had been attending a two-day conference of the Heads of State of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States, were present.

Preceding the burial was a mass service held at the Central Organisation of Sports (COS) Park, and conducted jointly by the Most Reverend Lucas Abadamloora, Catholic Bishop of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese and the Very Reverend Simon Asofo, Vicar-General of the Diocese.

President Kufuor in a tribute likened the Mr Achuliwor to other great politicians from the area such as Mr A. A. Abavana and Colonel George Minyilla (Rtd) saying: "He was very intelligent, forceful and daring. Whenever he took his stand on any issue not even a tractor could move him."

President Kufuor further observed that the former MP was an asset not only to the people of Navrongo but the nation as a whole, and that with his passing away the nation had lost a great patriot.

He urged the youth of Navrongo to emulate the selfless life of the Mr Achuliwor, from whom they had undoubtedly derived a lot of inspiration.

Mr Achuliwor's wife, Mrs Bridget Ify Achuliwor, his children, family members, friends as well as the Minister of Communications and Technology, and the Speaker and Members of Parliament, among others, took turns to pay tributes at the ceremony.

President Kufuor later laid a wreath on behalf of the Government and People of Ghana. Others wreaths were laid on behalf of Parliament, Ministry of Communications and Technology, Kassena-Nankana District Assembly, In-Laws of Achuliwor, Navrongo Central Constituency Executive of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Navrongo Secondary School Old Students Association and Ashanti Community in Navrongo.

Earlier at the Navro-Pio's palace to pay a courtesy call, President Kufuor had explained that he was in town to mourn with the chiefs and people of the area on the occasion of the death of their illustrious son.

The Regent of Navrongo, Mr Arthur Adda Balinia, thanked President Kufuor for the support he and his government had extended to the bereaved family and the people of Navrongo since the death of the former MP.

On President Kufuor's entourage were Ministers of State, Parliamentarians, District Chief Executives and NPP party functionaries.

Mr C.K. Tedam and Mr Francis Afoko, both Members of the Council of State, and Colonel George Minyilla (Rtd), Ghana's ambassador to Burkina Faso.

Alhaji Iddrissu Mahama, former Minister of Defence; Mr Donald Adabere Adabre, former Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister; Mr Martin Amidu, former Deputy Minister of Justice and Attorney General and Presidential Running Mate of Professor John Evans Attah Mills in the 2000 Elections represented the National Democratic Congress (NDC).