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General News of Thursday, 9 August 2012

Source: The Herald

Prez Mills’ Tomb Revealed

President John Mills’ final home, an 8-feet deep tiled grave, is ready to house the mortal remains of the man whose life and work has come to symbolize national peace, except for some finishing touches meant more for decorative purposes than a necessity.

The tomb located at the Geese Park, until recently a recreation park being constructed by the National Security Secretariat-Castle Annex, is being carried out by the same outfit, with some workers, a Chinese construction company operating in Ghana, assisting.

A visit to the area yesterday, revealed brisk activity going on as tipper trucks, excavators and other earthmoving machinery were busy at work under a very tight security protection.

About 30-40 beautiful white and black geese were also cited at the venue which is shaping up to be President John Mahama’s answer to a Presidential Cemetery for Ghana. Some of the duck-like birds were seen happily swimming a pool to the admiration of some people who had gone to the place to witness what was going on.

Also sited, were masons, carpenters, electricians among others who have taken over the place on the stretch of the road – The Marine Drive – leading to the seat of government – The Osu Castle.

The artisans have so far fitted the inside of the tomb with brown porcelain tiles to match the status of the late President, whose burial would be graced by foreign dignitaries and his colleague Presidents all over the continent of African and beyond.

The artisans, who are fed daily at the venue since work started, have also been provided with a 24-hour floodlight to work day and night to meet Friday’s deadline for Mills’ burial.

The Herald’s information was that the construction is under the technical supervision of Dr. Don Arthur, of the Office of President, who is an architect of international repute and highly credited with the now famous Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra, previous called the Old Polo Grounds.

Also spotted, apart from the Mills’ tomb has four well stenciled spots to its left and another four to its right. It is not clear whether the eight yet-to-be-dug spots have been reserved for any other burial.

A wall, has also been erected just behind the tomb, and it is believed this will hold the epitaph on which the biography of the late President would be inscribed.

Since the beginning of this week, all manner of interpretation was proffered when news broke that the Funeral Planning Committee (FPC), Chaired by Mr. Kofi Totobi -Quakye gave hints that it was considering burying the late President on a portion of land at flagstaff House.

Some members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) minced no words to lampoon the government for its earlier consideration of burying the late President at The Flag Staff House.

Among some of the augments they assigned for kicking against the decision was that the late President refused to patronize the Jubilee House edifice, built by ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor, for reasons best known to him (the late President).

A prominent Member of Parliament (MP) for Asokwa Constituency, in the Ashanti Region, Mr. Kofi Jumah, surprisingly, told an Accra-based newspaper that the late President would be exhumed should the NPP win the 2012 elections.

Mills’ final journey begins today, from the State Banquet Hall in Accra. The body will be conveyed to the Independence Square for public view, later tomorrow. The event will later be marked by a grand ceremony at the same venue before his burial off the Marine Drive.