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PRESIDENT Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his Vice, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, last Wednesday joined other dignitaries to mark the thanksgiving and one-week observance of the death of Major Alberta Boatemaa Oquaye (retd), the wife of the former Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye, at Haatso in Accra.
The President was accompanied by his wife, Rebecca.
The all-black attire event also attracted other important personalities.
They included the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare; the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, and his deputy Abena Osei-Asare.
Other VIPs
The rest were former Speakers of Parliament, Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo, and Edward Doe Adjaho, the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Andrew Amoako Asiamah; the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, and his deputy, Alexander Afenyo-Markin; the Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Kofi Armah-Buah; the Minority Chief Whip, Kwame Governs Agbodza, as well as current and former Members of Parliament (MPs).
Also at the ceremony were current and former ministers of state, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare; government appointees, Chief Executives of private sector businesses, representatives of civil society organisations, the clergy and traditional authorities, members of the diplomatic corps, heads of security agencies and celebrities, among others.
As the event was ongoing, a number of the dignitaries and members of the public also took turns to sign the book of condolence mounted in memory of Major Oquaye.
Song ministration was performed by the police band and the Winneba Youth Choir which sang various solemn hymns.
The one-week observance was used to announce to the gathering of the funeral service on Saturday, May 13, 2023, at the hall of the Accra International Conference
Centre and the final funeral rites at the State House.
The remains of the former Major will be interred at the Military Cemetery at Tse Addo in Accra.
Preaching a sermon to climax the celebration, the Head Pastor of the Dworwulu Charity Baptist Church in Accra, Rev. Samuel Mohenu, urged the gathering to let the mass “teach us to number our days on this earth”.
He reminded them that the earth was not their home and that for them to have eternal life, they must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
“If you want to live wisely, the best thing that you should do is to believe in Christ who will direct your life.
“The Bible tells us that the only way by which we can ask God to teach us to number our days and live wisely on this earth is to trust in Jesus as our Saviour,” he admonished them.
Rev. Mohenu further urged the gathering not to make “this earth your home because if you do so one day if you die, your soul will not go to heaven but go to hell”.
He additionally admonished the people to be conscious of the times they lived in and use their time and resources wisely to invest in eternal things rather than earthly things.
“We must be mindful that we are not the owners of life and we must be mindful of the impending judgement after this life,” he said.
“On the day of judgement, all the things that you have gathered on this earth, we will take nothing away.
If we have life, let us help those who do not have,” he added.
