Members of Parliament on Thursday joined the family of their slain colleague Joseph Boakye Danquah Adu, to observe a one-week funeral rite in honour of the legislator, at the Social Centre of the Police headquarters in Accra.
Mr Danquah Adu, the MP for Abuakwa North, was murdered at his Shiashie home near East Legon in Accra on the dawn of Tuesday February 9, by an alleged teenager who upon arrest confirmed to a seemingly contract killing but later claimed self-defence, as he attempted to rob the deceased law maker.
Colleagues and political opponents have described the 50-year-old legislator as an affable and hardworking individual, who was also a unifier with acumen for issues involving accountancy, business, trade and industry.
His body is awaiting autopsy.
The was a sea of mourners sporting black and red clothing who sobbed and wailed at the demise of the man who his constituents have said meant a lot to them in terms of the assistance that he readily offered for tuition fees, supporting the building of religious edifices and several other social interventions.
The deep sense of the loss of the late MP was felt as people from across the political divide, including stalwarts from the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), NPP party faithful and supporters, traditional rulers, government officials, staff of Parliament and other sympathisers trooped to the Centre to express their grief on the sad event.
Among the High profile personalities that were present were Vice President Kwesi Amissah Arthur, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo, the NPP flagbearer for the 2016 elections and his running mate, Dr Mahmoud Bawumia.
Proceedings at the August House was adjourned to enable members give respects to their colleague who exactly two weeks ago were with them; eulogising in statement on the floor of Parliament, his grandfather, the late Joseph Kyeretwsei Boakye Danquah, nicknamed the “doyen of Ghanaian politics” because of his role in the fight for Ghana’s independence.
In less than a week later, his colleagues were served an unpalatable menu on Tuesday morning of his departure in a gory manner by the alleged attacker.
Members of the House upon the news suspended sittings and all official engagements on that day, visiting the Shiashie residence to commiserate with the family of their departed colleague, with leadership promising the family to participate in the rites in honour of the late Danquah Adu.
The sombre looking delegation, led by the Deputy majority leader Alfred Agbesi and Minority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, arrived at the Centre and took turns to greet the family, showing their respect to the chief mourners by presenting a quantity of drinks and other presents to the bereaved family.
Tradition was on display, as the giant Fontomfrom drums and other smaller drum ‘tam tammed’ to echo the pain of the loss of the law maker.
At the outskirts of the Centre, were business people who took advantage of the one-week celebration to sell NPP party paraphernalia in the colours of red, blue and white.
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