As part of his State Visit to the Republic of Ghana, President Cyril Ramaphosa has paid a visit to the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Mausoleum in Accra.
During his visit to the site on Sunday, the President planted the “Tree of Life” which symbolises eternal life. He also signed a guest book.
The President was taken on a tour at the Mausoleum at the tombs of the founding father of the African Union and Ghana’s first President and the late First Lady Fathia Nkrumah, who are laid to rest beside each other.
The President who was in good spirits, then proceeded to a wreath laying ceremony where he observed a moment of silence in respect of the late President and First Lady. Thereafter he was taken through the museum, which houses the personal artefacts and publications of Ghana’s first President
Speaking to SAnews in Accra, Edward Quao, head of the museum at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park said that the ‘Tree of life” is symbolic and never dies.
“The Tree of life is a tree that never dies, it is able to withstand all harsh weather conditions so regardless of how the weather is, it will rise.”
Quao said the trees are well maintained by the park, which is under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. He said the tree planted by President Ramaphosa will be taken care of “just like we have taken care of Former President Nelson Mandela’s mango tree.”
President Ramaphosa is the second South African Head of State to plant a tree at the Kwame Nkrumah memorial park.
“The planting of trees by heads of state is the Ghanaian heritage and we really respect the place as it is part of our history,” Quao said.
Walking through the museum one is are met with the bronze head and original statue of Dr Nkurumah which stood in front of the Old Parliament House, which was vandalised during the February 24, 1966 military and police coup d’état.
The statue was recovered and presented by a patriotic citizen to the Information Services Department, which in turn released it to the park on 28 May 2009. It was then mounted on 1 September 2009.
Following the visit, the President and his delegation participated in a business forum.
On Saturday, South Africa and Ghana signed four memoranda of understanding agreements on International Relations, Transport, Agriculture and Gender. Two more agreements are expected to be signed virtually.
The President’s stop in Ghana forms part of his four-nation visit to West Africa. Later today, he will proceed to Senegal where he will discuss how to facilitate greater trade and investment between the two countries. -SAnews.gov.za
