Ghana: Former General Secretary of ruling NPP laid to rest
Accra, Ghana (PANA) - John Owusu Afriyie, one of the stalwarts and leading members of Ghana's ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), was on Thursday laid to rest at Sakora-Wonoo in the Amansie District of the Ashanti Region.
Sir John, as he was affectionately called, died in July, 2020, from coronavirus (COVID-19), while serving as the chief executive officer of the Forestry Commission of Ghana.
Among the dignitaries who converged on the hometown of Sir John were the president of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Vice President Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia and their spouses, leading members of the NPP, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and other political parties.
Leading the NDC charge was Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, popularly called General Mosquito, General Secretary and a close friend of the late Owusu Afriyie.
Sir John was a witty, forthright and outspoken politician adored by politicians of all shades and his sudden death shocked Ghanaians.
He was a good friend to many people; he spoke his mind or bared his thoughts regardless of the consequences and was loved by all.
President Akufo-Addo described Sir John as a "passionate devotee of the Dankwa-Dombo-Busia political tradition, outstanding stalwart of the NPP, strong defender of human rights as a lawyer and faithful adherent of the Seventh Day Adventist faith".
Asiedu Nketiah described the late Owusu Afriyie as a brother. He recalled that when he lost his mother, Sir John "spent three days at my home; we ate together, slept together and when everybody was gone and I was feeling sad, he made sure to console me".
Sir John thus belied the concept that political opponents were irreconcilable adversaries and that they could be the best of friends outside the political arena.
-0- PANA RA 3June2021.
