Thousands of people clad in red and black on Monday gathered at the Ho Sports Stadium for a mammoth rally to mourn the late President John Evans Atta Mills.
The crowd made up of various groups and individuals, some from communities outside Ho Township, earlier embarked upon a procession through the principal streets of Ho amidst drumming and singing of dirges.
By 0800 hours the Ho Sports Stadium was jam-packed, without any place to step. Among the crowd were nursing mothers, pregnant women, people living with disabilities and the aged, some of whom wept uncontrollably.
Ho market women, one of the largest identifiable groups sang special songs composed for the late President Mills.
Mr Kwasi Aboagye, Volta Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in an address described the late President Mills as Ghana�s Moses who helped the country to cross the socio-economic Red Sea before giving the baton to President John Dramani - Ghana�s Joshua, to take the country to the land of Canaan.
Mr Henry Ford Kamel, Volta Regional Minister commended the crowd for the turnout and said the �spontaneous reaction showed that Volta Region is truly the second home of President Mills.�
He catalogued some projects and policies of President Mills and urged the people to use his death to reconcile with their �brothers and sisters.�
Mr Kamel asked political parties and politicians to use the occasion to resolve to shy away from politics of insults.
Togbe Kwaku Ayim IV, Paramount Chief of Ziavi Traditional area, on behalf of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs urged the crowd to be peaceful and remain united.
Dr. Archibald Letsa, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate for Ho Central said the country had lost a great man and called for unity.
Though political party colours were largely absent, almost all the parties had representations at the gathering. There were tributes from the Ghana National Association of Teachers, Market women, students and the clergy, among other groups.
<<Print>>