Lydia Seyram Alhassan consoling Ophelia Hayford
A memorial one-week observance was held yesterday for Ekow Kwansah Hayford, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Mfantseman in the Central Region who met his untimely death last week, sparking outrage in the country.
He was gruesomely murdered by persons suspected to be armed robbers on the Abeadze-Dominase-Duadzi-Mankessim road while returning from a campaign programme after filing his nomination to seek re-election on the same day.
Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia led top NPP and government officials to join thousands of people at the Kesim School AstroTurf grounds at Mankessim in the Central Region to mourn with the family.
It was a solemn occasion marked mainly by wailing as the murdered MP’s wife, Ophelia Hayford, the children as well as the mother, Mena Abaata, occasionally wiped her tears.
When the Vice-President arrived at Mankessim, the place was filled with uncontrollable wailings of people who had gone to mourn the slain MP.
He led the government delegation to pay glowing tribute to the deceased and expressed sympathy for the loss of Ekow Hayford to Parliament, the family, NPP and the country at large.
It was a moving scene when the NPP MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Lydia Seyram Alhassan, who also replaced her husband after his death, arrived at the grounds to console the widow, Ophelia, who has been tipped to replace her husband in Parliament on the ticket of the NPP.
She asked Ophelia to remain strong and take consolation from the glowing tributes being poured in memory of her late husband and pledged her unflinching support to her in any future endeavours.
NPP National Chairman Freddie Blay, General Secretary John Boadu, National Organiser Sammy Awuku, National Youth Organiser Henry Nana Boakye (aka Nana B) and National Treasurer Kwabena Abankwah-Yeboah were all at the grounds.
President Akufo-Addo, who visited the bereaved family at Mankessim on Monday, had said, “I have told the IGP that if I don’t see anything in this case what will happen.” He also assured the family during the visit that “those who perpetrated the act will surely face the law and will never go scot-free.”
“What has happened has affected me. I know his death is irreplaceable but I assure you that whatever we can do help, we shall do it.”
A parliamentary delegation led by the Speaker of Parliament, Aaron Mike Oquaye, was also at Mankessim to mourn the MP.
DAILY GUIDE learnt that yesterday the Inspector General of Police (IGP) accepted the resignation of the MP’s wife who is a police officer, after it turned out the NPP is considering fielding her as their next parliamentary candidate, following the killing of her husband.
Mrs. Hayford is an officer in the Ghana Police Service with the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).
By Ernest Kofi Adu