Series of events to celebrate late Aliu Mahama
A planning committee set up to ensure a well-thought-out celebration in honour of the late former Vice-President of Ghana, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, has rolled out a series of events to mark the fifth anniversary of his demise.
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At a press briefing in Accra, the Chairman of the planning committee, Mr Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, disclosed that the celebration was to give meaning to the principles and virtues of the late former Vice-President.
He described the late Mahama as a man of integrity, dignity and discipline.
He also indicated that the celebration would start on November 16, which coincided with the day he died, and officially end on December 10 this year.
Series of events
The celebration will begin with a prayer session in the morning under the cleric supervision of the National Chief Imam at the residence of the late Ahaji Mahama.
Later in the evening of the same day, there will be an art exhibition and a cocktail fundraising dinner at the Accra International Conference Centre.
Proceeds from the art exhibition and fundraising dinner will be used to support the Aliu Mahama Foundation (AMF), set up by the former Vice-President.
On November 25, there will be a clean-up exercise with the support of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) on the theme: “Cleaning and Greening the city in memory of Aliu Mahama” in Kumasi.
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There will also be a “Soup Kitchen”, an event that will feed the homeless and the needy in the Kumasi metropolis.
A lecture will be given on December 6 by the Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, at the Accra International Conference Centre on the theme: “Transforming Ghana beyond Aid,” which will also officially bring to a close the art exhibition opened on November 16.
A youth forum at the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale on December 8 will also be held on the topic: “Campaign for greater discipline: A legacy of Aliu Mahama.”
Climax of celebration
The climax of the celebration will be a renaming ceremony by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Tamale Sports Stadium. The ceremony will include a football match between football players from the north and south of the country.
In an interview, a son of the late Aliu Mahama, Mr Farouk Mahama, expressed his appreciation to the President over the gesture of renaming the Tamale Stadium after his father.
He indicated that the gesture came as a surprise to the family as they did not make a request to have the stadium named after their father.
“The family did not tell the President to name the sports stadium after Aliu Mahama. It was the discretion of the President. He even decided without consulting the family and he indeed intends to fulfil his promise,” he said.
Aliu Mahama Foundation
For his part, the Executive Director of the AMF, Dr Samuel Kwadwo Frimpong, explained that the AMF was started in 2002 by the late Alhaji Mahama as Life Care Foundation. The name was changed in 2009.
The foundation provides support for education and health and helps farmers and traders through its poverty eradication initiative.