President John Dramani Mahama, has announced that the late former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, will be honoured with a state funeral.
President Mahama made the announcement today (Tuesday) when he paid a condolence visit to the grieving family at their residence in Accra.
He was accompanied by the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, and other government officials.
Expressing his profound shock and sorrow, President Mahama recounted how he received the tragic news.
"It actually came as a shock, Zanetor was the first to call me and Nana was with them. They broke the news to me, so I asked them to come to the office and they came and explained everything that happened."
He reflected on the sudden nature of her passing, and said, "It was sudden, the last time I saw her was at the Asantehemaa’s funeral and she was her lively self. There was nothing that could warn us that in a few weeks to come, she herself would become God's own."
Paying tribute to her legacy, the President highlighted her unprecedented tenure and dedicated work to the nation and its people over the years.
"Nana Konadu set a record in this country, the longest serving First Lady, 19 solid years. And with the constitution we have, nobody can ever break that record," he said.
He particularly noted her focus on women's empowerment, a legacy that endures across the country.
"During the 19 years, she took women's empowerment as her focus. And we know the work that the 31st December Women's Movement did all over the country. Even up to today. When you go around the country, on the campaign trail, you see evidence of her work,” he said
President Mahama assured the nation that her contributions would be fully recognised.
"I'm sure that when the tributes come to be written, we will have a story about her role as First Lady in Ghana,” he said.
On behalf of the nation, President Mahama extended his sympathies, saying, "On behalf of the people of Ghana, the government, I want to extend our sympathy and condolences to the family."
Outlining the funeral arrangements, the President stated, "We shall give her a state funeral. The family can do the traditional funeral after the state funeral. And so, once we know what the date is, we will do the program. And the state will give her the full honours that she deserves as our former First Lady and Mother of the Nation."
The President assured the family of the government's support and assistance during their time of grief.
"We will work closely with the family. We're waiting for the family to meet and tell us what their desire is,” he said.
