State pre-burial held for late PNC MP
MPs eulogise late John Ndebugre
He has passed on but undoubtedly, memories of who he was and what he represented at various stages of his life has remained with people he met and interacted with.
As former member of Parliament for Zebilla who entered parliament in 2005 on the ticket of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), John A. Ndebugri appears to have left a lot of memories with his colleague MPs who have since eulogized him for his statesmanship, honesty, frankness among others.
MPs took turns a day before the pre-burial service held for him at the forecourt of the State House to share their tributes of the late former Member of parliament for Zebilla.
Kennedy Agyapong:
Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong on his part credited the late MP for some things he learnt from him that have stuck with him till date.
He said the late Ndebugre was a man of principle and was not afraid to say things as they were.
Kennedy said the nation has lost a great man from whom many have learnt great things.
Cletus Avoka:
Member of Parliament for Zebilla East, Cletus Avoka, who was one of the people Ndebugri won the primaries over in 2005, recounted childhood memories with the late politician.
He narrated how he and Nde attended the same school in 1964 and become good friends till 1992 when they had to part ways because of their preferences for different political parties as he [Cletus] joined NDC while Nde joined the PNC.
Mr. Avoka explained that despite their differences which posed some challenges for their brotherhood, they later resolved these and became very united.
He said Nde’s last public appearance was at his function on May 2, 2022 where he was invited to speak on the menace of persistent armed robbery in Bawku West District.
Adding that Nde publicly spoke about his death, laughed and warned everybody to be his neighbour’s keeper.
Cletus Avoka also described Ndebugri as a Kusasi hero, legal luminary, political pragmatist, statesman and a national asset.
Haruna Iddrisu:
Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, said Ghana has lost a statesman, who was not in public service for purposes of enriching himself.
According to him, Ndebugre did not just walk integrity, he acted same.
The Tamale-South MP called on those in Bawku to follow in the stead of Ndebugre and unite to ensure peace prevails as that all currently needed.
Kwabena Donkor:
The Member of Parliament for the Pru East constituency, Kwabena Donkor, described the former lawmaker as bold and truthful.
Mahama Ayariga:
Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga also recounted his first encounter with the late John Ndebugri.
According to Mahama Ayariga, he encountered the late lawyer while he was a child in Bawku and the late Jerry John Rawlings had visited for a festival in the Upper East Region.
He said whilst everybody got up to recite the national anthem, only the late John Ndebugri was seated in protest against something. When they were done singing the anthem, the late Jerry John Rawlings called his security to whisk him away to the police station where he was locked up.
Ayariga further said as a child, he heard about how radical he was as a leader and how controversial he was as a person.
The MP said he got closer to the late Ndebugre when he got into politics and found out that he is such a fine excellent, and accommodating gentleman and a peacemaker.
Background:
The death of the former Member of Parliament for Zebilla, John Akparibo Ndebugre, was announced on Friday, May 6, 2022.
The former Peoples National Convention (PNC) MP died at the age of 72 after a short illness at Zebilla in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region.
He was a lawyer by profession, was married and had four children.
NYA/WA
