The Ghanaian government has adopted January 27, 2021, as the new date for the burial of the late former President, Jeremiah John Rawlings.
The new date is contained in a circular issued to the diplomatic community in Ghana by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
According to the release which updated on the government’s earlier decision to cancel a December 23rd, 2020 that had been scheduled for the funeral rites of Mr. Rawlings, his funeral will now start on January 24.
Between January 24 and January 26 January, he will be laid in state at the foyer of the Accra International Conference Center from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily.
A Mass will be held for him at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra on January 26. This will be followed the next day with a burial service.
Late last year, the government had scheduled the funeral of Mr. Rawlings to the 23rd of December, 2020. However, the date had provoked anger from traditional rulers of Anlo who had protested the government’s failure to consult them before deciding on the date.
The traditional leaders had made the point that the late former President was a traditional leader of the Anlo area as well as being a Statesman and therefore needed to be accorded the necessary traditional rites.
The government agreed and backed off to allow the family and the elders of Anlo to decide on an acceptable date for the funeral.