Chairman of the Funeral Committee of late President John Evans Atta Mills, has stated that security services have been instructed to ward-off groups and individuals who would approach the funeral grounds with party paraphernalia.

Addressing journalists in Accra on Tuesday, Mr. Totobi Kwakye, explained that the move is to ensure that the ceremony takes place in a more serene atmosphere, devoid of party politics.

“This is a national lost and we want to organize this funeral in a decent manner, that is why we believe bringing party paraphernalia to the grounds could disrupt the event,” Mr. Totobi Kwakye explained.

He however seized the opportunity to debunk media reports that the Committee allocated GH¢30 million to organize the funeral, saying it is the figment of people’s imagination.

He intimated: “Stories in the media that government is to spend GH¢30 million is a total fabrication and must be treated with the contempt it deserves.”

An Accra based tabloid, the Daily Searchlight, on Tuesday reported that government was prepared to fork-out a whooping sum of GH¢30 million on the funeral rites of the late President, with just the casket costing over GH¢70.000.

But the editor-in-chief of the tabloid, Kenneth Agyei Kuranche, in a swift rebuttal said he still stand by his story, saying “we have ample evidence to support our claims. The publication said the casket was coming from Ohio, USA and that it was going to arrive this morning and other things. Why did Mr. Totobi Kwakye only debunk the general figure and not the other information we put out there. Our story is credible and we still stand by it.”

Mr. Agyei Kuranche said this on an Accra based radio station on Tuesday. **