15 Heads of State to attend Mills’ funeral
Fifteen Heads of State and Government have confirmed their participation in the funeral of President John Evans Atta Mills.
The US Secretary of State, Mrs Hillary Clinton and four Special envoys from the United States of America as well as the President of the African Union Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma would also be attending.
The Leaders are President Thomas Yayi Boni of Benin and Chairman of AU; Alassane Outtara, Cote d’Ivoire and chairman of the ECOWAS; Theodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Equatorial Guinea; Blaise Campaore of Burkina Faso.
Others are President Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia; President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo; Jakaya kikwete of Tanzania; Ellen Sirleaf Johnson of Liberia; Dr Goodluck Johnathan of Nigeria; Mahamadou Issoufou of NIger.
The rest are Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe of South Africa; Yahya J. Jameh of the Gambia and Macky Sall of Senegal.
The Chairman of the Funeral Committee, Mr Kofi Totobi Quakyi made this known in Accra Tuesday at a press briefing on the final funeral arrangements for President Mills.
He said heads of State and Governments as well as Vice Presidents would be met at the Kotoka International Airport, Jubilee Lounge when arriving by private aircraft.
Those arriving by commercial aircraft would be met at the VVIP Lounge and the various ministers of state would be assigned to welcome them.
There would be no official ceremony on arrival or departure of the dignitaries.
The body of the late President Prof John Evans Atta Mills would be laid in State for viewing at the State House from Wednesday August 8, 2012 to Friday August 12, 2012.
The President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, his Wife Lordina and the Vice President and His wife, the Second Lady would be the first to file past the body, thereafter the Chief Justice, Speaker of Parliament and the public.
Mr Totobi Quarkye said most of the foreign dignitaries are expected to arrive on Friday so they will be given the opportunity to file past the body in the morning of Friday August 10, 2010 before the burial service and subsequent burial.
He said the oiutpouring of grief by Ghanaians following the death of the former President shows that we are one people and expressed optimism that the funeral ceremony would be organised to reflect the collective sense of loss that this Nation feels.
The Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Patrick Timbilla said a very comprehensive security arrangement would be made to ensure a peaceful funeral.
He said the police will be assisted by the Military and other security agencies to provide security at all points during the movement of the body from the 37 military hospital till the burial.
DCOP Patrick Timbilla said in all other activities in connection with the funeral like the mounting of giant screens at vantage points, the security will be there to ensure sanity.
He said the blocking of the roads will be for three days and called on the public to support the security agencies by making sacrifices.
Source: Daily Graphic