Parliament attends Prof Allotey’s funeral

The Speaker of Parliament, Prof Aaron Michael Ouaye, on Friday, led Parliament to the funeral of the late Prof Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey, a world-renowned scientist, held at the Forecourt of the State House, in Accra.

Proceedings in the chamber had to start rather later than the usual 1000 hours for about a few hours, to allow the House to participate in the state funeral of the late renowned Physicist, Mathematician, Computer Scientist, among others.

Members of the House, who attended the funeral came back to the chamber, clad in mourning clothes, with the brooches of the picture of the late academic on their clothes, to signify the deep sense of the loss to the House and nation.

The late Professor Allotey died on November 2, 2017, after a short illness.

The House eulogised him with glowing tributes following a statement by Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, MP for Nsawam Adoagyiri, in which he described his contribution to academia in Ghana, Africa and beyond as "outstanding and virtually unparalleled".

”The demise of the late academician should be the time for the African youth to advance knowledge into research in the field of Mathematical Sciences to propel the development of the continent,” Mr Annoh-Dompreh said, adding that, “Prof Allotey, was the first Ghanaian to introduce computer education to Ghana.

“He had a deep insight and the ability that brought people together from all walks of life during his lifetime as exhibited in his love for Science and Mathematics.”

Ghana, Africa and the world, he said, has lost a great leader and a role model.

Members of Parliament, who contributed to the statement praised the late professor for his numerous contributions for Ghana and the world at large.

Back in the chamber, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader, said, “we have attended the farewell funeral of Professor Allotey,” as he contributed to discussions of some events that had taken place sometime earlier in the House, in relation to the death of the late Professor.

Mr Iddrisu noted that the name of Mr Annoh- Dompreh had been wrongly spelled, and urged Members of the House to be their own proofreaders, to avoid unacceptable errors in the official records of the House.

“May his soul rest peace”, Mr Iddrisu said.

The pre-burial service of the late scientist attracted President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, former Presidents Jerry John Rawlings, John Agyekum Kufuor and John Dramani Mahama, Members of the Council of State, Ministers, Clergy, Ghanaian Academia, the Diplomatic Corp and Chiefs from the Central Region and a cross-section of Ghanaians.

The final funeral rites will be held at St. John the Baptist Catholic School Park, Saltpond, in the Central Region.

He was born in Saltpond in 1932.