The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has eulogised the late Ghana High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Rashid Bawa describing him as someone who worked exceptionally to further deepen relations between the two countries.
He said the late diplomat was more than just an employee of his government, but a friend and a younger brother who became one of his reliable allies.
“This man was more than just an employee of my government to me. He became a personal friend, I tried to call him my younger brother, we met in Parliament when he was an independent MP for Akan, I think in 2004 or 2005 and during my last term in Parliament was when he came and even though, he was on the other side of aisle somehow, we took to each other and became friendly and from that time onwards, he was always part of the group of the people that were under my watch,” he emphasised.
President Akufo-Addo disclosed this when the family of Rashid Bawa called on him at the Jubilee House on Monday.
The delegation was led by the head of family, Alhaji Ahmed Bawa.
President Akufo-Addo said the late Rashid Bawa was one of his closest lieutenants whose commitment to his government was not in doubt.
He explained that the decision to assign him to Nigeria was largely because Nigeria was not a big brother to all in West Africa but an important foreign relations to Ghana.
“I recognised that one of the most important foreign relations of Ghana was with Nigeria. Nigeria is the big brother of all of us in West Africa and that for there, I will need a special confidant to be my ambassador in Abuja and there was nobody else who fitted the bill better than Rashid,” he stressed.
“So that is how… It was on that basis that I sent him to Abuja as our high commissioner there and you’ll be happy to hear from me, he did not disappoint me,” President Akufo-Addo added.
He said the late Rashid Bawa worked exceptionally well, adding that “he became very familiar with all the key figures of the government – that is the government of President Buhari and was beginning to develop same contacts with the people involved in the present government of Nigeria, that is President Borla Ahmed Tinubu until the Almighty decided that he should come to him.”
President Akufo-Addo said even though government was preparing to send him to Germany for treatment, it was never so as he passed on before the necessary arrangements could be finalised.
“Indeed the last time we met, we were trying to make arrangement to send him to Germany to see whether he could find relief there and then suddenly, the foreign minister came through with the news that Rashid had left.
He was going to come back because having been elected our parliamentary candidate in Akan, it was necessary for him to come back to start his campaign but it was well understood that he continued to be a key figure in what we are doing. But they say man proposes but God disposes, so it is on that basis that all of us will have to accept what the Almighty has done,” he stressed.
President Akufo-Addo said even though it could not be to our taste that a young brilliant man like Rashid Bawa should be taken away through this circumstance that was the way of the Almighty.
“It is not for us mere mortals to question his ways,” he said.
The head of family, Alhaji Ahmed Bawa expressed gratitude to the President and government for the support offered the family in bringing the remains of Bawa Rashid home for burial.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
