Akrofi’s remains at CPP headquarters

Members of the Nkrumaist family have been advised  to not allow the demise of the United Kingdom (UK)  Branch Chairman of the party, Mr Hayford Akrofi, to demoralise them but to galvanise efforts at winning political power in 2016.

CPP members should instead allow the untimely death of Mr Akrofi to inform them to die a little for the party by rallying behind the executive to wrest power from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

These were the themes that ran through statements  and testimonies delivered at the party’s headquarters when the remains of Mr Akrofi were conveyed to the CPP headquarters for people to pay him their last respects before the final journey to  Tutu Akuapem for final funeral rites and interment.

Mr Akrofi was gunned down at his residence at Ofankor, a suburb of Accra, on June 23 by some armed robbers who were later arrested by the  police after thorough investigations.

Basic necessities

A leading member of the  Convention People’s  Party (CPP), Mr Bright Akwertey, who spoke at the CPP  headquarters  during the short ceremony,  said if every Ghanaian had  access to basic necessities of life such as food, shelter and clothing, the youth would not turn themselves into armed robbers causing mayhem and unleashing violence on innocent  law-abiding citizens.

He  said the loss of Akrofi was a big blow to the party; however it should not disorganise the party but rather water the party’s proposal towards re-taking the reins of government.

Mr Akwertey said according to astrology and the art of the interpretation of numbers, any asset lost could be  retrieved for the owner in 50 years’  time.

He explained that  since 2016 would be exactly 50 years when Dr  Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown, the CPP was likely to be swept to power in 2016 if the  party would allow the death of Akrofi to inform it to work a little hard to come back to power.

Stalwart

Mr Adu  Larbi,  a member of the communication team of the party, said  Mr Akrofi was a stalwart of the party and was like an odum tree for the party that had been chopped off by armed robbers.

He said Akrofi was able to take all the proposals of the party and compartmentalise them into their various areas so that everybody in the party was clear of which role they were to play to ensure that the proposals were implemented to the their fullest.

He said as a professional architect, Mr Akrofi had a potential that was awaiting to be fully utilised not only  by the  party but the country in general.

Madam  Hamdatu Ibrahim, the National Womens Organiser of the party, said  Akrofi was ready to forgive and forget  and taught members of the party same so that  the party would succeed in its bid to win  the 2016 elections.

Ms Anita Abaidoo, the CPP Parliamentary candidate  for Okaikoi South, said  what happened to Akrofi was as a result of youth unemployment in the country.

She explained that if there were job avenues in the country, the youth would not  resort to robbery to make a living.

For her part, Madam Samia Nkrumah, the National Chairman of the party, said even though the party was mourning the painful  death of Mr Akrofi, the party members should not allow death to defeat them. 

She said as the saying goes that Kwame Nkrumah never dies because of the body of ideas that he left behind, Akrofi too would not be forgotten because of the body of ideas he had left behind for the party.

Plant breeders bill

Madam Samia disclosed that  the party would honour the memory of Akrofi to befit the role he played in the party while he was in the UK, as well as his contribution to the  campaign against Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) and the Plant Breeders Bill which was before Parliament.

He said but for Akrofi who drafted the party’s  position on the GMO which was presented at a press conference by the party, Parliament could have gone ahead to pass the bill but with CPP and other  organisations brought pressure to bear  on the government and Parliament, which had resulted in the bill being shelved for broad consultation on it.

Mr Oscar Anie-Akrofi,  a family member who spoke to the Daily Graphic, said  the body of Mr Akrofi would be conveyed to his hometown, Tutu Akuapem, where viewing would be done in his mother’s house.

He said the body would lie in state at the Presby Park today (Saturday) for friends and sympathisers to file past and pay their last respects before interment at the Methodist Church  Cemetery at Tutu Akuapem at 10 a.m.