President Akufo-Addo has said even though he and the late former President Jerry John Rawlings had their differences in terms of a tempestuous past, they came to see value in each other at the tail end of their relationship.

The President said this when he addressed the family of the late former President at the Jubilee House when they paid a courtesy call on him to formally inform him of the passing of the 1st President of the 4th Republic.

"It is very difficult of me to conceive him as a dead body, lying in the morgue but then, one of the things that all of us have got to get used to is that the Almighty has his own plans for each one of us and as improbable as somethings may be, nevertheless, they happen" President Akufo-Addo said.

"It a moment for reflection and for continuing to believe in his purpose, that He has a purpose for each one of us and as it appears, former President's work here on earth has come to an end. He and I had a tempestuous relationship being over many years but I believe that we came to see value in each other at the end. I am extremely disturbed and saddened by his passage" President Akufo-Addo added.

State Burial

According to the President, it is a matter of necessity that the former President is given a befitting send-off by the State noting that anything short of that will be unacceptable. He enjoined the family to collaborate with the office of the Chief of Staff at the office of the President in order to agree on appropriate arrangements for the Ghanaian nation to give the former President a befitting state funeral.

"He is not an ordinary Ghanaian. He was the 1st President of our fourth republic, a man who held the supreme office in Ghana and therefore his passage has to be a matter for the Ghanaian nation. I know the feeling of family on such an occasion, but I think that you will understand when I say that on the death of such a man, precedence has to be given to the State of Ghana" President Akufo-Addo noted.

Spokesperson of Rawlings Family

John Blagogee, the spokesperson for the Rawlings family in his brief remarks to bring the sad news of the demise of Jerry John Rawlings, the man seen by many as the founder of the 4th Republic of Ghana, said the family is grateful for the assurances given by Government to accord their late father a befitting burial. He assured the President that the family will give the State all the necessary cooperation in that regard.

The Family Delegation

The delegation that came to the seat of Ghana’s Presidency, Jubilee House, to inform the President of the sad development was led by Colonel Joshua Agbotui.

The others were John Blagogee (Spokesman), Zenator Agyeman-Rawlings, first child of the late former President and Member of Parliament for the Klottey Korle Constituency; Michael Agbotui Soussoudis, brother of the former President; Asantewaa Rawlings, daughter of the former President; Amina Rawlings, daughter of the former President, Cecilia Aholu and Captain retired Richard Fodjour.