By
Godwill Authur-Mensah/ Lydia Kukua Asamoah, GNA
Accra, Sept.12, GNA – A delegation from the
Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on Wednesday paid their last respects to
Ghana’s illustrious son, Kofi Annan, who was the seventh United Nations (UN)
Secretary-General.
Mr Ronald Affail Monney, the President of the
Association, led the team to the State Funeral at the Accra International
Conference Centre.
‘Kofi Annan never dies,’ he declared in an
interview with the GNA, explaining that, ‘his works and values will live
forever just like Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President”.
He described Kofi Annan as ‘a man with an
impeccable track record, who served the global body with distinction and
touched many lives.’
He lauded his selflessness and dedication to
global peace, reduction of poverty and diseases, saying, his demise was a big
blow to Ghana and the world at large.
Mr Monney urged the present generation of
leaders to emulate Kofi Annan’s sterling values to help propel the betterment
of humanity, especially the vulnerable.
With silent tributes and great admiration for
the man who made Ghana’s story about its leadership of the UN a positive one,
the members of the delegation filed past his mortal remains to celebrate
him.
Mr Annan passed away peacefully on August 18,
2018 in the Swiss city of Bern after a brief illness.
He was aged 80.
He was the UN Secretary-General from January
1997 to 2006, leading a number of reforms at the global body.
He successfully negotiated peace deals in many
countries plagued with conflicts and wars.
In 2001, he was co-recipient of the Noble
Peace Prize with the UN.
Upon his retirement from UN, he was appointed
as a special envoy to Syria and led UN Commission to negotiate for peace during
the Rohingya crisis in September 2016.
He was survived by a wife, Nane Maria
Lagergren, and three children, Kojo, Ama and Nina.
GNA