Exactly a week ago Ghanaians were hit with the news of the sudden demise of former Governor of Bank of Ghana and former vice president under John Dramani Mahama, Paa Kwasi Amissah Arthur. According to reports, the former vice president collapsed during an early morning workout session at the Airport Gym and was rushed to the 37 Military Hospital in the back of a pickup, only to be pronounced dead that fateful morning. As is the norm in Ghana when someone dies, he suddenly became a public sweetheart and condolences poured in from high-ranking politicians and ordinary Ghanaians alike, never mind that he was the butt of mean jokes during his time.
The President of the Republic has eulogized the former vice president and declared that his death is a matter of national interest because he served the nation well. He also ordered for flags to fly at half-mast in honor of the former Governor of the Bank of Ghana. “He wasn’t a very close friend of mine, but I knew him. I had a great deal of admiration and respect for him. I thought he was a very fine public servant. He was a man of dignity and humility, conducted himself very well in the public space of our country”, he said when he visited the family of the late statesman to offer his condolences.
A week later and John Mahama still can’t get over the news. He took to his Facebook page to express his disbelief on Friday, July 6. He wrote, “It is already a week and I still recall vividly my shock when my assistant broke the sad news shortly after I stepped off a flight in Munich. The time spent seeking confirmation and praying that it wasn’t true was one of the longest waits one has experienced. Paa Kwesi served with distinction as Vice President, and was an efficient Governor of the Bank of Ghana.”