President moves Parliament to mourn tsunami victims

Accra, Jan. 4, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday asked Parliament to observe a minute's silence for victims of the tsunamis that hit South -East Asia and East Africa and Members of the House, who died in the course of their duty.

President Kufuor, who was delivering the State of the Nation Address to Parliament, said man should feel humbled given his transient and feeble nature.

"Once in a while, often when we humans seem particularly preoccupied with our individual or national ambitions - problems and successes, nature reminds us of our limitations and of our common humanity.

"We must all feel humble and acknowledge the transient and feeble nature of human power and existence."

He said, "the recent earthquake in the Indian Ocean and its consequent tragedy of almost apocalyptic proportions that affected not only Southern Asia, but also, parts of East Africa, it was impossible to comprehend the enormity of what has occurred, or for our puny human minds to take on board the numbers of people that have been afflicted.

"This tragedy has also brought home forcibly to all of us that indeed, the world is a global village and that what happens in one place affects others who might be geographically far away."

President Kufuor said this should teach men "to be more careful about the environment and to be more caring about one another; no matter who we are, whether we are Sri Lankans, Nigerians, Ghanaians, Americans or Swedes. Or to come closer to home, it should not matter whether we are Akans, Ewes, Gas or Dagombas; and on the religious front Muslim or Christian".

The Government has sent messages of condolence to the nations that are immediately affected.

President Kufuor urged all Ghanaians to play their part and to contribute to the fund that has been set up so that their widow's mite would be among the international effort.

The Members of the House, who lost their lives in the course of the past four years, were Reo A. Basoa; John S. Achuliwor; Emmanuel Acheampong; C. O. Nyanor and David Mensah.