Editorial: Kudos to Kufuor On Justice Annan

THE PRESIDENT, Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor, has demonstrated his commitment to the much-needed non-partisan approach to issues through his recent decision to accord the late Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Justice Daniel Francis Annan, a state burial.

The President has therefore directed the family of the late man to consult with State Protocol so that Government, together with the family, would accord him a fitting burial as a former Speaker of Ghana's Parliament.

This position taken by the President is really in the right spirit and direction. The nation was becoming fed up with the norm where Governments in power took delight in whitewashing all achievements of the previous ones and even regard members of such other Governments as enemies who do not deserve any state accolade.

Such commendable acts such as the President's are the necessary ingredients for national unity, which is badly needed for the nation's development but which has unfortunately eluded the country since independence.

The national soccer team, the Black Stars, has proven to the nation what unity can do for us. The players of the team went to the World Cup very united and relied on that unity to do what many thought was impossible. We should indeed cast our bread across the water to envelop all of us as one people with one common destiny, fighting to propel our nation to a noble height.

It is just heart-warming to see a sitting Government honour a member or members of a past Government for whatever achievements they might have chalked. This is why The Chronicle found and still finds as very disturbing the manipulations that went on behind the scenes to prevent the University of Development Studies from conferring an intended Honourary Doctorate degree on the former President, Fl. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings.

This type of attitude cannot and will never help build a reconciled country where we will all be our brothers' keepers.

We should now come out of our slumber and realize that next year, Osagyefo's Ghana will be 50 years. Unshackling the colonial yoke from our necks was not easy and as such we should try to gird our loins to uplift the image of Mother Ghana.

President Kufuor has laid a foundation that should be solidified for the benefit of future Governments and the nation. There are still in the system achievers from different political divides, some of whom might not have been in power before but have done their best for the nation, who need to be honoured. It is sometimes naive to wait till the death of a person, who should have been honoured long before.

The Chronicle appeals to the family of the late Speaker to fully cooperate with the Protocol office for a befitting burial for this illustrious son of Ghana. The Government, by this commendable gesture, should not forget some of the unsung heroes still alive like Mr. Peter Ala Adjetey, who has also played a yeoman's role in Ghana's emancipation to where we are now, and of course, our mothers like Mrs. Alberta Ollennu.

These unsung heroes have played their parts and in this hour of their immobility should be made to feel that all that they had done for the nation had not been in vain.

While The Chronicle continues to advocate the inculcation and practice of acts the would have the potential to keep the country united, we wish to once again congratulate the President of the Republic for the exceptional gesture and call on all to remain committed to the agenda of national unity. President Kufuor; thanks a lot for blazing the trail.