By Bertha Badu-Gaye/Millicent Tamakloe, GNA
Akyem-Kukurantumi, Jan 26, GNA – Mourners
from all walks of life gathered at the St Paul’s Technical School at
Kukurantumi in the Eastern Region to pay their last respects to the late Mr
Fred Ohene-Kena, a former Minister for Mines and Energy.
Mr. Ohene-Kena was also an Eastern Regional
Secretary and diplomat in the erstwhile National Democratic Congress
administration.
Notable among the distinguished
personalities who join the family to mourn Mr Ohene-Kena, an illustrious son of
the soil was former president Jerry John Rawlings, Alhaji Mumuni Idrisu
chairman of the NDC council of elders, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, National
chairman of the NDC, Mr Kwame Peprah, Dr Kwabena Donkor, Mr Victor Smith, Ms
Mavis Frimpong all former Ministers of state and Mr Julius Debrah former Chief
of Staff and a host of NDC faithfuls.
A delegation from government was led by the
Chief of Staff, Mrs Akosua Frema Osei Opare, Mr S.K Boafo former Ashanti
regional Minister, Mr Eric Kwakye Dafuor Eastern Regional Minister and Mrs
Gifty Twum-Ampofo Member of parliament for Abuakwa North.
Mr Fred Ohene-Kena who was born on March 28,
1936, was trained and worked as a mining engineer at the consolidated African
Selection Trust (CAST) now known as Ghana Consolidated Diamonds at Akwatia.
He published an article in the late 1970s
suggesting policies for the effective management of Ghana’s mining sector and
that earned him an invitation by the PNDC leadership to serve as
Under-Secretary for lands and Natural Resources.
In 1988, he was appointed the Eastern Regional
Secretary where he served for 4 years and contributed immensely to his home
region and later became the NDC Eastern regional chairman.
The late Mr Ohene-Kena In 1994, was
appointed ambassador to Czech Republic overseeing Slovak Republic, Poland and
Hungary, he returned home in 1997 to serve as the Minister for Mines and Energy
and later during Professor Mills’s administration he was appointed board member
of AngloGold Ashanti, to represent the interest of Ghana government.
In recognition of his hard work, experience
and longstanding commitment, the NDC party appointed him as a member of the
Council of Elders where he contributed his quota to the growth and sustenance
of the party until his demise.
Apostle Professor Opoku Onyinah, former
chairman of the Church of Pentecost, preaching the sermon at the burial
service, said there was life after death and cautioned everyone to be conscious
of how they lived their lives.
Tributes were read from the President of the
republic, Nana Akufo-Addo, who described him as a Ghanaian patriot, Osagyefo
Amoatia Ofori-Panin, Okyenhene, The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources,
The Eastern Regional Coordinating Council, the NDC, the Church of Pentecost,
Children, Wife and Siblings among many others.
Mr Ohene-Kena passed on to glory on October
4, 2019 at age of 83, his mortal remains has been interred at the Akyem
Kukurantumi Royal cemetery.
GNA