Accra, Dec. 5, GNA - Trade union activists and a cream of politicians on Friday kept vigil in honour of the late first Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Mr. John Kofi Tettegah.

The mourners clad in black apparel thronged the forecourt of the TUC Hall to pay their respect to the septuagenarian, who was lying in state shrouded in black suite.

The mournful personalities comprised Professor Kofi Awoonor, Chairman of the Council of State, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, 2008 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Mr. Totobi Quakye, Chairman of the National Communications Authority, Mr. Yaw Osafo Marfo, former Minister of Finance and Economic Planning and Mr. Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, former Minister of State.

The rest are Prof. Badu Akosah, member of the Convention Peoples Party and Mr. Adu Amankwa, former Secretary General of the TUC.

The Ghana Police Band and the St. James Roman Catholic Church Youth Choir provided music to march the meditative atmosphere that centred on t= he life story of the fallen trade unionist with iconic fervour. Tributes read identified Mr. Tettegah as a trade unionist of exceptional character, a mentor, an inspirer and a man of the ordinary people who devoted his life to bring sanity to the labour front and added=

the bricks that led to Ghana's independence. Mr. Kofi Asamoah, the current TUC Secretary General said Mr. Tettega= h fought for workers' right, the outcome of which many workers now enjoy. He stressed: "Comrade Tettegah will be remembered for his dedication=

and selflessness to the course of the workers." "We owe him a lot of gratitude," he said. Mr. Asamoah said as a Diplomat, Mr. Tettegah used his office to prom= ote the course of the TUC. "The highest tribute we can pay Comrade Tettegah is to build a stron= g TUC that can project what he stood for." Burial takes place on Saturday, December 5, at the Osu Cemetery i= n Accra, after a requiem mass at Christ the King Catholic Church.