General News of Thursday, 7 January 2010

Source: Daily Guide

Quashigah's body arrives today

The remains of Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), a former Minister of State under the Kufuor Administration, arrives today, according to family sources at his Regimanuel Gray Estate residence near Nungua Barrier in Accra.

Major Quashigah, who was described as one of the finest ministers in the last administration, having held the Food and Agriculture as well as Health portfolios, passed away at age 62 at an Israeli health facility on Tuesday after a protracted ailment.

When Daily Guide arrived at the late former military officer’s residence yesterday morning, he whole vicinity was dead silent, with only a few of his children in black attire, sorrowfully mourning the death of their dad.

The children were tight-lipped on the cause of their father’s death and funeral arrangements, directing Daily Guide to another family house at Regimanuel Gray Estate, Golden Gate on the Spintex Road for more information.

Daily Guide could not however go through the Golden Gate because of tight security amidst strict instructions not to allow the media access to the area.

Nonetheless, it was gathered that the family members had been meeting to receive the body of their illustrious son. Meanwhile, former President John Agyekum Kufuor has sent a message of condolence to the bereaved family, saying he had learnt with great shock and deep sorrow the sudden death in Israel of Major (rtd) Courage Quashigah, a friend and colleague.

A statement issued in Accra noted that Major Quashigah was a stalwart of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of which he once served as National Organiser. “Through the eight years of my administration, he served first as Minister of Food and Agriculture and then, as Minister of Health.

“In both positions, he acquitted himself with distinction as he exhibited a high sense of professionalism and was meticulous in his work,” the former President eulogized.