Rawlings prays for lasting justice for Ya-Naa

Ghana’s former President, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings has at a meeting with the family of the late Ernest Debrah, former Minister in the Kufuor government, decried the failure of successive governments to seek lasting justice for the late Ya-Naa Yakubu Andani II who was assassinated in 2002.

Flt Lt Rawlings said he was hopeful that as other eminent persons receive decent farewells after their demise, the late Ya-Naa will also receive justice and with that a decent final funeral rite.

Making the call during a courtesy call on him by the family of the late Ernest Akobour Debrah, a former Minister for Agriculture, Brong Ahafo and Northern Regions, on Thursday, the former President said: “I am hoping and looking forward to the late Ya-Naa also seeing justice being done over the manner in which he left us so that his funeral may be carried out in a decent way for all of us to have the peace of mind the country needs and deserves. 

“For his departure to have gone on through three administrations [governments] without seeing the necessary justice to ensure a decent funeral for him is a painful load that some of us carry and this is something we should all be thinking about. Let us do justice to what led to his departure and I believe there will be a decent funeral.”

President Rawlings described the late Ernest Debrah who was one time Member of Parliament for Tano North as a quiet, amiable and unassuming personality, saying it was painful when the country lost people like him and personalities such as Paul Victor Obeng, because the country needs people of their caliber. He expressed his satisfaction that Ernest Debrah was able to contribute his quota of discipline and knowledge to his country.

Professor Sam Akobour Debrah of the University of Cape Coast School of Medical Sciences and brother of the deceased who led the delegation, informed the former President that the funeral will take place on Saturday July 30, at Tanoso in Sunyani. 

Other members of the delegation were Francis and Steve Akobour Debrah, brothers of the deceased.