Announcement Of Mills� Burial Place Was Premature� - Ogbamey

A senior journalist and a member of the �coffee-shop mafia� has described as premature and unnecessary, the earlier announcement by a Cabinet Minister that the late President JEA Mills would be buried at the Flagstaff Staff House, Accra. Alfred Ogbamey believes once consultations with stakeholders including the family had not yet been concluded, the information regarding Prof Mills� final resting place should not have been made public. Minister of Communications, Haruna Iddrisu, last Saturday, announced that President John Mahama had taken the decision to reserve a portion of the Flagstaff House for the burial of presidents and other high ranking officials of the country. But the Funeral Planning Committee later told newsmen on Friday, August 3rd, the burial place of the late President is now the Geese Park on the Castle Drive, a few meters from the Osu Castle. Speaking on Peace FM�s �Kokrokoo� Morning Show, Alfred Ogbamey was emphatic that the funeral planning committee cannot absolve itself from blame for the controversy generated by initial reports that President Mills was to be buried at the Flagstaff House. �I will also blame the funeral committee; I feel there was a premature announcement of where they intended to bury the former President. It was so unnecessary and too early, especially when you have not yet finished the consultation process. Haruna Iddrisu�s release of that information in my view was premature and highly unnecessary, but for a first time that somebody in a high position has passed away, we can allow some of these mistakes. But I think that they ought to micro manage this thing now�� he said.