Late President Limann’s Family to Be Accorded State Recognition – President

Government will restore and accord the President of the Third Republic, the late Dr Hilla Liman’s family State recognition, and ensure that the appropriate courtesies are extended to the former first family of Ghana.

“Government is of the view that it is time to restore these courtesies to the family of the late former President Liman,” President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo stated at the 20 Anniversary Remembrance Celebration for the former President who died on January 23, 1998, after his overthrow by the Military on December 31, 1981.

The remembrance celebration which was on the theme: “The life of a scholar, diplomat and statesman was organised by the Liman family in collaboration with the government in Accra.

President Akufo-Addo also lauded Mrs. Dora Fulera Liman, stressing, “She has continued to conduct herself with dignity, as befits a former First Lady of Ghana, and will benefit from the care and attention of the State”.

President Akufo-Addo’s announcement received a thunderous applause from the high profile audience at the Accra International Conference Centre, which included; Council of State Members, Members of Parliament, Traditional and Religious Leaders, Academia, Political Party Leaders, Media Practitioners among others.

The President also used the occasion to announce government’s acceptance of a proposal by the Governing Council of the Wa Polytechnic, in the Upper West Region, to re-name the institution after Dr. Hilla Limann.

“Once the parliamentary process has been completed, the Wa Polytechnic will, thenceforth, be called the Hilla Liman Polytechnic, a name which will remain with the conversion of the Polytechnic into a Technical University,” President Akufo-Addo said.

The remembrance celebration was dotted with musical performance and dance performance, poetry recital and laced with presentations which were led by the former First Lady, who gave the audience a revelation of the inside life narration of Dr Liman, the Ambassador, the President, the Husband and the Father.

Professor Ivan Addae-Mensah, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana in an oratory took the audience through the biography of Dr Liman, whilst Dr Zilla H. Liman and Ms Salma H. Liman, daughters of the former President rhythmically gave a recollection of their late father, the Scholar, the Diplomat and the Statesman as a Dada.

Mrs Nabilla Williams, Board Member of MTN Ghana Foundation gave a rendition on Liman as the Scholar; and Ambassador D. K. Osei, a reflection on Liman the Diplomat; Dr Edward Nasigri Mahama, Ambassador At Large spiced the night with Liman the Statesman and Mr Kwaku Sakyi Addo, astute journalist schooled the audience on personal lessons from encounter with Dr Liman.

Dr Liman led the People’s National Party to win both the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in 1979 and was sworn into office as President of the Third Republic on September 24, 1979.

Dr Liman’s government was ousted by an unconstitutional and unjust military coup on December 31, 1981, and was unlawfully detained for a period of two years.

Former President Liman lived a simple but fulfilling life with his family after his release from detention until he re-entered into politics in 1992 as the Presidential Candidate and Founder of People’s National Convention.

He remained active in politics after the 1992 Elections until his death in 1998.

Source: GNA