Family brings remains of former Information Minister to GNA office before burial

The remains of the late John Tia Akologo, a former Minister of Information under the late President John Evans Atta Mills' regime has been brought to the premises of the Ghana News Agency's (GNA) office in Bolgatanga before burial.The former Member of Parliament for the Talensi constituency, who was also a journalist worked with the GNA's office in Bolgatanga between 1982 and 1990, before entering Parliament.Mr Cletus Avoka, who led the delegation to bring the body to the Agency, said it was part of plans to take the remains of the former Minister to all the institutions, he had worked with before proceeding to his hometown Duusi in the Talensi District for burial.The move was meant to allow staff and former colleagues of the former MP to pay their last respect to him.The late Akologo who was also a former Ambassador of Ghana to Cuba died on Sunday morning, March 24, 2024, at the Upper East Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga after a short illness.He had been involved in grassroot politics since the 19 80s when he was active in the activities of the Trade Unions between 1985 and 1992, becoming a branch secretary and National Executive Council Member of the Public Services Workers' Union.In 1982, he became the Press Secretary of the Upper East Regional Secretariat of the Peoples Defence Committees and Workers Defence Committees set up by the Provisional National Defence Council.Mr Akologo was elected MP for the Talensi constituency in the 1992 general election on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and retained the seat in subsequent elections until 2012 when he lost to Mr Robert N. Doameng Mosore, an Independent Candidate.The late Akologo was appointed Minister of Information in 2009 and he served in that position until 2014, when he was later appointed Ghana's Ambassador to Cuba by former President John Dramani Mahama where he served until 2016 when NDC lost power.He had worked in various fields and until his demise, was a member of the National Council of Elders, representing the Upper East Region.The late MP would be laid to rest at his hometown in Duusi in the Talensi District on June 1, 2024.Source: Ghana News Agency