Government opens Rawlings book of condolence at foyer of AICC; Kufuor, Mahama to sign Monday

According to a statement signed by Nana Enoch Osei-Mensah, Head of Protocol, Office of the Vice-President and Moderator of the Signing of the Book of Condolence the general public and all dignitaries must abide and follow the schedule put out.

Former presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and John Dramani Mahama will sign the book of condolence on Monday, November 16, 2020.

The two former presidents have been scheduled to sign the book between 10:15 am and 10.45 am.

The statement further stated that “Due to the COVID pandemic, the general public is advised to note that the signing of the book of condolence for the late former president of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, will commence on Monday, 16 November 2020 to Friday, 20 November 2020 at the foyer of the Accra International Conference Centre from 9 am to 5 pm daily”.

The announcement comes 24 hours after the General Secretary of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, accused President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government of deliberately preventing former President John Mahama, who is the presidential candidate of the party, from signing the book on Friday, 13 November 2020.

According to him, the officials said they had been given orders to prevent the presidential candidate of the party Mr Rawlings founded, from signing his late boss’ book of condolence.

Below is the full schedule;

Meanwhile, the office of the late former president has indicated there will be no one-week commemoration of the death of Jerry John Rawlings.

The announcement explained that the one-week ceremony is alien to the customs of the late president’s kinsmen.

“The general public is also informed that there will be no one-week ceremony. All flyers and other communication announcing such a ceremony are false and should be ignored,” it said.

The office further dispelled claims that the former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings has been hospitalized.

“Mrs. Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings is well and has not been admitted to any hospital. She was present when President Akufo-Addo and former President Mahama called on the family on Friday, November 13.”