Captain Mahama promoted posthumously to Major
The late Captain Maxwell Adam Mahama has been posthumously promoted to the rank of Major, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced.
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Pesident Akufo-Addo made the announcement when he visited the family house at Burma Camp in Accra on Monday evening as part of the one-week observation of the death of the soldier.
The President, accompanied by senior government officials signed the book of condolence and also announced that government has decided to erect a monument in the memory of the late Major.
A memorial trust fund with seed money of Gh¢500,000 has also been set up by government, President Akufo-Addo announced.
He has also donated Gh¢50,000 from his personal resources to the fund.
The President did not mention where the monument would be erected in the memory of the soldier but there have been public suggestions that it should go to where he was killed - Denkyira Obuasi in the Central Region.
President Akufo-Addo said a full state burial would be organised at the forecourt of the State House on Friday.
Speaking directly to the wife of the fallen soldier, President Akufo-Addo said: "the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) made a recommendation to me today, that he wanted your [Barbara] husband to be promoted, posthumously, he gave his reasons, I have the authority as Commander-in-Chief to do that, and I have done so."
"I have promoted him to the rank of Major, I have signed the papers and the certificates and it is even here, I'm going to present it to you. So from now on, we are not talking about Captain Mahama, we are talking about Major Mahama," President Akufo-Addo said.
"The meeting of the cabinet that I have just come from agreed that we should also erect an appropriate and suitable monument in his honour in Ghana, so that his memory will stay," he added.
President Akufo-Addo said he has been travelling the whole of last week and that was why he could not personally visit the family but he asked the Vice President, the First Lady and other senior government officials to do so on his behalf.
"It has been difficult for me to find time to come and see you. I felt very sorry about what has happened to your hushand, all of Ghana is upset by what has happened," the President said.
Major Maxwell Adam Mahama was lynched last week Monday by a mob at Denkyira Obuasi on suspicion he was an armed robber whilst going for a job.
A total of 44 suspects have since been arrested in connection with the gruesome killing of Captain Maxwell Adam Mahama, Superintendent Cephas Arthur, Director of Police Public Affairs has said.
He said investigations were on-going and that the police suspects more people connected to the incident and are culpable are still out there.
Meanwhile 34 of the suspects were on Monday evening remanded into police custody by the Accra Central District Court, reports Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson
Last Thursday, seven suspects were remanded by Cape Coast District Court.
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