The late Ghanaian football star, Christian Atsu Twasam, will be given a dignified funeral, the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has assured the nation.
He said the government would liaise with the deceased’s family and provide the required support to enable the country to bid the national hero a deserving farewell.
The Vice-President, gave the assurance on Sunday evening when he led a government delegation to receive the remains of the soccer icon at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) brought in from Türkiye.
The remains of the 31-year-old Black Stars and former Chelsea and Newcastle United player were discovered in the rubbles of earthquake that struck Türkiye and Syria on February 6, this year.
The Türkiye-based attacking midfielder was found in his apartment at Hatay, after almost 12 days of search by a rescue team, following the earthquake that has killed more than 45,000 people.
At the KIA tarmac to receive the coffin containing his remains, were government officials, family members, military personnel, football fraternity.
The government officials included Ghana’s Ambassador to Türkiye, Francisca Ashietey-Oduntun, who had accompanied the remains to Ghana alongside some family members of Atsu.
Others were the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, and the Deputy Youth and Sports Minister, Evans Bobie Opoku, while General Secretary of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Prosper Harrison Addo, and other officials.
There was a burst of emotions when the coffin, which was wrapped in the national colours, was lowered from the cargo section of the aircraft and carried by military.
The mixture of solemn grieving and uncontrolled weeping lingered while Christian and Islamic prayers were being said for the departed soul.
The Vice President, Dr Bawumia, who described Atsu’s death as a painful loss said the nation was distraught by the devastated earthquake and conveyed the condolences of the government and Ghanaians to the grieving family.
The head of the Twasam family, Nene Gabriel Nkrumah Twasam, thanked the government for assisting to bring the remains of the player back to his roots.
He was also grateful to Ghanaian for the show of love and solidarity during these trying times.
For the FA’s General Secretary also extended the condolence of the football fraternity to the family, describing Atsu as a selfless individual who touched a lot of lives and brought joy to many, both outside the pitch and on it.
For his part, Mr Addo said, the GFA and other stakeholders would work with the government and the family to give the late soccer star a befitting burial in honour of his meritorious deeds.
BY TIMES REPORTER
