Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, a government spokesman has suggested that former Black Stars winger Christian Atsu will likely be honoured with a state burial.

The player died in the February 6 earthquake that rocked parts of Turkey and Syria. He was resident in one of the most impacted towns, Hatay; where he played for Hatayspor.

Atsu was declared missing after the quake before being ‘found’ 24-hours later, a claim that turned out to be false.

After 12 days of search at his residence which had collapsed, his remains were found under the rubble on February 18 and subsequently returned to Ghana on February 19.

Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Afternoon Ghana programme (February 22), Palgrave extended government’s condolences to the grieving wife, kids, extended family and the football fraternity stressing that “government is in full support of all their funeral plans and arrangements.”

A co-panelist and Member of Parliament for Tamale Central Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed chipped in that government needed to give Atsu a state burial because of the circumstances surrounding his passing.

Palgrave responded: “Government is working in line with that, I think it is a unilateral decision, government is working in line with that.”

The one-week anniversary of Atsu’s passing is slated for March 4 with his family house in Accra being a beehive of activities with mourners and well wishers trooping in to offer their condolences.

During the ceremony at the Kotoka International Airport to receive his remains, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia said government was ready to liaise with the family to give him a befitting burial.

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