The year 2012 has been a tragic year for the people of Ghana with the untimely passing away of great personalities.
Today recounts on June 1st, 2012 when two prominent Ghanaians were called to eternal glory, from the Upper East Region.
First was the Paramount Chief of Lambusie, Kuoro Kontonbie Tesseh, who died at the 37 Military Hospital, after a short illness. He was also the president of the Lambusie Traditional Council.
The second imporatnt personality who died from the Upper Region was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wulensi constituency, Hon. Alhaji Saani Iddi.
Hon Saani Iddi died at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital after battling with illness.
The legislator was a founder member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the region, but contested as an independent candidate in the 2008 polls when he lost at the party?s primary.
On 14th June, 2012 most Ghanaians, especially soccer fans, woke up to the shocking news of the death of the former Vice President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA,) Mr. Jordan Anagblah.
Mr. Anagblah had been battling with ill-health until his death.
On 22nd June, the nation lost another legislator, the MP for Kwabre East constituency in the Ashanti Region, Hon. Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah.
He was MP for two terms: 2005 to 2008 and 2009 until his death this year.
He was also the former Ashanti regional minister in the erstwhile Kufuor administration. He was 73.
The former Director of the Ghana Aids Commission, Professor Sakyi Awuku Amoah, passed on at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital on 9th July, as a result of post-surgery complications.
He was a former deputy director-general at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). He was 70.
A former female track and field athlete, Rose Hart, died on 12th July, 2012. She represented Ghana at the 1964 Olympic Games, and won gold medal.
The greatest shock to Ghanaians, Africa and the whole world, was the death of the sitting President of Ghana, Prof. John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills.
The president, on the 24th of July, was reported dead at the 37 Military Hospital.
He had celebrated his 68th birthday three days before his untimely death.
President Mills had five months to finish his first term in office as the third President under the Fourth Republic.
The soft-spoken politician was a devoted Christian, man of peace and a great sportsman.
A renowned broadcaster, Mr. Charles Sam, also departed to glory on 11th September, at the 37 Military Hospital, after a short illness.
His accolade, Charlie Sam, was a household name, during his days at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).
Before his death, he was a lecturer at the African University College of Communication in Accra.
The former Vice President of Ghana, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, also died on 16th November at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, after a short illness.
The soft-spoken politician passed on after spending several days at the Cardiothoracic Centre of the hospital.
He was the longest serving vice president of the Fourth Republic. He was the vice president to former President Kufuor, from 2001 to 2009.
The former National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Korle Klottey, Hon. David Lamptey, also departed to glory on 5th December.
He was also the chief executive officer (CEO) of Sidalco Company, a leading liquid fertilizer company in Ghana and was also the owner of Radio XYZ in Osu, in Accra.
A renowned high-life musician, Dr. K. Gyasi, on 21st December, died in his home after a short illness.
His death was a great shock to the music fraternity in Ghana
On 23rd December, the Presiding Bishop of the Jubilee International Churches and Ministries died in church, when he was delivering a sermon.
The Volta Regional Minister, Hon. Henry Ford Kamel, gave up the ghost on Christmas Day in his hometown, Jasikan. Hon. Kamel was the MP for Buem constituency in the region.
