It was an unpleasant sight to behold as family members, school mates, friends and New Patriotic Party (NPP) members and sympathizers broke down in tears at the funeral of the two party activists who were electrocuted last week as they tried to erect (party) billboards.
The metal billboard hit a Volta River Authority (VRA) high tension cable.
Kwaku Kumi, 41, and Akwasi Maxwell Ameyaw, 20, were laid in state at Sunyani Number 2, where the final funeral rites were held.
Their mortal remains were subsequently interred at Bakonuaba cemetery.
Last Wednesday, the two departed party members tried to erect a campaign billboard of the Sunyani East Member of Parliament (MP) at Abesim near Sunyani, but when they raised the billboard, the metal plate touched the cable and both of them got electrocuted.
Yesterday’s ceremony was witnessed by some national officers of the party, including National Youth Organizer, Sammy Awuku; Campaign Strategist, Dan Kwaku Botwe, Member of Parliament (MP) for Okere, who represented the NPP flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his running mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Some MPs from the region – Freda Prempeh, Tano North; Ameyaw Cheremey, Sunyani East, whose campaign billboard the deceased were trying to erect, and other regional party executives came to pay their last respects.
Hundreds of Akwasi Maxwell Ameyaw’s mates at Twene Amanfo Senior High Technical School, some clad in black and red funeral cloths and others in their school uniform, thronged the funeral ground and cried uncontrollably for their departed colleague.
Margaret Asantewaa, mother of Ameyaw Maxwell
He was a Form 3 electrical student.
Preaching the sermon, Bishop Frank Frimpong of Walk in Truth Ministry, asked the bereaved families to take consolation in the fact that God knows what is best for them because He gives and also takes.
The saddest moment came when the mother of Ameyaw, Rebecca Asantewaa, read her tribute amidst weeping. She extolled the virtues of her son.
According to her, Ameyaw had wished to enter polytechnic after SHS to become like the MP after whom she named her son.
Mourners could not help but burst into uncontrollable tears.
The road from Sunyani to Bakonuaba, which is about three kilometers long, was jammed as the hearses carried the caskets to the cemetery.
FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Sunyani