Former President Rawlings was presented with a plaque by the family of Alhaji Gado
Former President Jerry John Rawlings on Saturday joined hundreds of mourners to bid farewell to Alhaji Gado Sulemana, a leading member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), at a ceremony at Asawase in Kumasi.
Until his demise on July 23, Alhaji Gado played various roles in the NDC. He used to be the Asawase constituency chairman, member of the Ashanti regional council of elders, national advisor to the NDC and chairman of the pioneers.
Accompanied by General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia and Alfred and Ibrahim Mahama (brothers of former President Mahama), including Colonel Kabu Davies and Kofi Aikins, the former president and founder of the NDC, first called on Hajia Memuna Salifu, widow of the deceased, to commiserate with her before moving on to the grounds for the final funeral rites.
General Secretary Asiedu Nketia who spoke on behalf of the delegation paid tribute to Alhaji Gado for his contributions to the party and made a donation to the family of the deceased.
Also present at the ceremony were leading members of the NDC including presidential hopeful, Ekwow Spio Garbrah, former ministers of state, Collins Dauda and Baba Jamal, as well as regional and constituency executives of the party in the Ashanti Region.
Alhaji Gado, who died at the age of 86, left behind a wife and eight children.
Peter MensahÂ
Former President Rawlings also found time on Saturday to see eight-year-old Peter Mensah who had both legs amputated in 2017 after a vehicle had run over him on his way home from school.
Peter, who had multiple surgeries, including amputation, graft and plastic surgery, responded positively to treatment and has since been discharged from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) where he was treated for months.
The former president first visited Peter Mensah at the Komfo Anokye Hospital in November last year after witnessing the ‘pitiful’ video of Peter being lifted into a taxi with his limbs hanging loosely on his body.
Mensah’s grandmother informed the former president that plans were afoot to fit the boy with prosthetic limbs to enable him walk. He currently moves around in a wheelchair.
Former Minister In Hospital
Former President Rawlings also visited Peter Anaafi Mensah, a former Ashanti Regional Minister who is on admission at the KATH with serious injuries after a vehicle parked at his residence released its brakes and knocked him down, trapping him for a considerable period before he was rescued.
The former minister expressed his gratitude to Mr Rawlings and his delegation and stated that he was responding positively to treatment.