The National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Mr Paul Afoko, and the 2016 presidential hopeful of the party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Sunday, attended the final funeral rites of Roland Issifu Alhassan, a former running mate of the party.
Mr Alhassan partnered Professor Albert Adu Boahene on the party’s presidential ticket for the 1992 elections.
Mr Alhassan, who served as Ghana’s Ambassador to Germany during President Kufuor’s administration, died at the 37 Military Hospital on April 15, 2014. He was 87.
Believed to be the first-ever northerner to be called to the Ghana Bar, Mr Alhassan, until his death, was the Chief Patron of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Northern Region.
Mr Afoko led a high powered delegation of NPP members, including Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, the party’s running mate in the last two presidential elections in Ghana, to attend the funeral.
A government delegation led by the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Limuna Mohammed Muniru, also attended the funeral, which was held at the deceased’s private residence at Sagnarigu, near the old Tamale Airport.
The People's National Convention, led by its party chairman, Alhaji Ramadan, and some members of the Convention People's Party also attended.
Hundreds of mourners from all walks of life, including chiefs, the clergy and some members of the Judiciary attended the funeral to pay tribute and celebrate the life and legacy of Alhaji Alhassan.
Delivering a brief statement at the “Adua”, Nana Akufo-Addo described Alhaji Alhassan as a man of principle and fairness.
He explained that all lawyers called to the bar during his time regarded Alhaji Alhassan "as a legend of the legal profession."
Nana Addo said his first interaction with Alhaji Alhassan occurred when, as General Secretary of the People's Movement for Freedom and Justice (PMFJ), he elicited his support in the “NO" Campaign during the UNIGOV referendum of 1978, which ultimately brought about the downfall of the Acheampong military government in 1978, and the restoration of multi-party democratic rule to the country in 1979.
Describing him as “a man of principle and fairness,” Nana Addo recounted two instances during his tenure as Attorney General and subsequently as Minister of Foreign Affairs when advice given to him by Alhaji Alhassan impacted positively on his life and career.
"The Nation and Party have lost an extraordinary man," Nana Addo said. He expressed his condolences to the family and urged them to stay strong in these trying times.
Tributes were read by his wife, children, former Members of Parliament in the Third Republic, the NPP and the government.
Alhaji Alhassan became the first ever lawyer to hail from the Northern Region.
He was the MP for Chereponi in the Northern Region from 1965 until the coup d'état in 1966. In the late 70s, he joined the Popular Front Party led by Victor Owusu and stood as MP in Tolon in 1979 and was duly elected Member of Parliament.
He was also the leader of the opposition at the time of the 1981 coup.
In the early 90's he invited the members of the Danquah-Busia club to meet in his house to discuss party politics, and that marked the beginning of the formation of the NPP. In 1992, he was elected as Vice Presidential Candidate of the NPP, led at the time by Prof. Albert Adu Boahen.
When the NPP won the 2000 elections, under the leadership of President Kufuor, Alhaji Alhassan was appointed Ghana's Ambassador to Germany from 2001 to 2006.
He remained active in politics and was appointed as NPP Regional Campaign Chairman in the North in the 2008 elections. He was also the Chairman of the Council of Elders of the NPP for the Northern Region. Even while sick, he was consulted and he resolved many party issues.
