The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has joined the rest of the world to mourn the demise of former statesman and United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Kofi Annan who passed way at the age of 80.

Mr. Annan, a Ghanaian-born international diplomat who served the UN and Ghana in various capacities for many decades, died on Saturday, August 18, 2018 in Switzerland.

NPP, in statement issued and signed by its General Secretary, John Boadu, said it learnt with sadness and profound shock the passing of Ghana’s finest international diplomat of all-time and Nobel Peace Laureate, the venerable Busumru Kofi Annan, in the early hours of today, Saturday, August 18, 2018 in the city of Berne, Switzerland.

It said “the party joins the rest of the world and the nation, in particular, to extend its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, particularly his wife and children. The party also commiserates with Ghana, Africa and the United Nations.”

“Mr Annan, born in April 1938 in Kumasi and appointed UN’s Secretary-General in 1996, was undoubtedly a renowned and highly respected global statesman and consummate internationalist who had lived all his life in pursuit of a peace and just society across the world.”

It added that “Kofi Annan, the first sub-Saharan African to occupy the exalted position of UN Secretary-General, indeed raised the flag of Ghana beyond international boundaries and brought nothing but pride and goodwill to the global reputation of our dear country.”

According to the statement, “It’s against this backdrop that the party finds as worthwhile and highly meritorious, President Akufo-Addo’s directive that Ghana’s national flag be flown at half-mast across the country and in all of Ghana’s diplomatic mission across the world for a week starting from Monday, August 20, 2018 in honour of the global icon.”

The party seized the opportunity to call on the people of the world and Ghanaians in particular to uphold his virtues of humility, nobility and love for peace.”

“We should also celebrate him for living a life that by all standards is well lived and worth emulating, it stressed, adding that the world has indeed lost a colossus, whose international accomplishments and legacies would forever continue to inspire both the present and future generations.