News:
November 19, 2020
Members of the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) Parliament paid their last respect to their deceased colleague, Ablom Johnson on Friday in Lome, the Republic of Togo.
At a ceremony hosted by the Togolese National Assembly at their complex, the lawmakers led by the Speaker Rt. Honorable Sidie Mohammed Tunis, joined members of Togo’s National Assembly and other Government officials to bid farewell to the late Johnson.
Members of Parliament who are in Lome for a delocalised meeting of a joint committee were greeted with the sad news of the demise of the lawmaker.
Mr. Abloom Johnson, who died earlier this week, was the third Vice President of the Togolese Parliament.
In an interview after the official funeral ceremony with journalists, Speaker Tunis said that he led members to the funeral to honour their colleague whom he described as a man of the people.
He said that although it is an unfortunate event, the presence of Parliament for a delocalised meeting in Togo, presented an ample opportunity to physically commiserate with the family of their late ‘brother’, Johnson.
“It is always a sad event to lose a loved one. Ablom was not just a member of ECOWAS Parliament, he was also a brother. So now that we are in Lome, Togo and this unfortunate incidence has happened, we believe it is our responsibility as members of ECOWAS Parliament to participate fully in the funeral arrangements”.
Even if we were not here in Lome, we were still going to send a delegation to Togo to pay tribute to the family and console them, he indicated.
He further added that their presence there, is a manifestation of expressing sorrow to the bereaved family and expressed their condolences on behalf of the ECOWAS Parliament.
He described the late lawmaker as a man who was down to earth and who respected everybody: his colleagues and staff.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com