Accra: Hundreds of sympathisers, including families and friends, have paid their last respects to former Volta River Authority (VRA) and Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) Chief Executive, Erasmus Alexander Kwabla Kalitsi at Woe in the Anloga District of the Volta Region.
According to Ghana News Agency, the sympathisers, dressed in black and white apparel, mourned the late Kalitsi and described him as a father for all, who trained, nurtured, guided, and inculcated discipline in many who worked under him. Reverend Dr. Cyril G.K Fayosey, the General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, in a sermon delivered during the funeral, described the late Kalitsi as a dedicated and hardworking Christian, who was with a clean heart, non-partisan, genuine, and God-fearing.
He explained that the vacuum left by Mr. Kalitsi would be difficult to fill and his Church, Garrison Methodist Presbyterian Church (GMPC), at Burma Camp in Accra would deeply miss his presence, guidance, and fatherly advice. Reverend Dr. Fayosey delivered his sermon message taken from the books of 1 Corinthian 3:12-13 which reads, "Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is."
He urged all Christians to be gems rather than being germs to attract and impact positivity in the public and avoid negative lifestyles, which could clear people from the word of God and Christ. Madam Cecilia Kumaple, in her tribute, described her late husband as a perfect gentleman who taught her a lot of lessons, and would continue to guide the family for the rest of their life.
"Like all marriages, ours had its ups and downs but through it all, my husband proved to be the perfect gentleman everyone knew him to be, I have lost a friend, husband, and a sweetheart," she expressed. The children, Kwesi and Mawuena, expressed deep sorrow about the death of their father, who trained, nurtured, and educated them for a better future.
They said he created a happy home and encouraged them in times of difficulties and left behind non-erasable indelible marks, which would remain in their hearts forever. Mr. Samuel Fletcher, the current Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Services at the Volta River Authority (VRA), in an interview, said Mr. Kalitsi was a legend, gem, and deep-thinker, who at old age still recollected and remembered things of the past.
Mr. Erasmus Alexander Kwabla Kalitsi was born on July 16, 1930, in Anyako, in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region to Mr. Stanislaus Kwashie Kalitsi, a civil servant, and Madam Matilda Machide Agudogo who was a trader. Mr. Kalitsi, who began his second cycle education in 1945 at Zion College at Anloga, was described as a gifted child, who completed with a grade one certificate and had the opportunity to be part of the first 50 students nationwide to win a highly competitive scholarship to University College of Gold Coast, now University of Ghana, in 1949.
In 1959, Mr. Kalitsi transitioned from being a civil servant to join the Development Commission of the Volta River Authority, responsible for the planning phase of the Volta project, which was undoubtedly the move that began his 40-year-long association with the VRA, with contributions that improved the energy sector in the country during the period. In 1963, Mr. Kalitsi was appointed the Chief Resettlement Officer, tasked with managing the complex relocation of over 80,000 people from 700 villages affected by the creation of Lake Volta after he played an instrumental role in transforming the visionary blueprint of the establishment of the Akosombo dam into both operational and financial reality.
Mr. Kalitsi, who was appointed the Chief Executive of VRA, led the organization from 1991 to 1998, while his tenure marked a period of significant modernization, diversification, and regional integration with the first thermal plant established in Aboadze in the Western Region, commissioned to signal a strategic move from hydro-only to a more resilient hydro-thermal energy mix among other achievements. In 1998, after Mr. Kalitsi ended his seven-year tenure as the Chief Executive, he was later appointed as the Chairman of VRA, which made him the first to hold both CEO and Chairman roles at the Volta River Authority with better modernization agendas, which include network monitoring, digitizing billing systems, and internal communications.
He also served as the Managing Director (MD) of the Electricity Corporation of Ghana (ECG) from 1987 to 1991, where he showcased a natural progression and dedication to ensuring stable power supply across the country and spearheaded the implementation of the Rural Electrification Programmes. Several tributes were paid by many others, including the widow, children, family, EPCG, and others, which described Mr. Kalitsi as a hardworking individual with a decorated legacy that would be missed greatly.
Mr. Kalitsi passed away on June 3, at age 95 after a short illness and left behind a wife, three sons, and six grandchildren. The funeral was highly attended by chiefs, heads of institutions, families, friends, and others, amidst drumming and dancing by various traditional drummer groups that showcased the passing away of a great individual and a man of principles.
