The General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, has indicated that the NPP is saddened by the loss of former party stalwart, Mr. Ishmael Ashitey.

John Boadu made this revelation when a party delegation paid a visit to the residence of the late Greater Accra Regional Minister in Tema. Speaking in an interview with Citi News, Mr. Boadu added that the party will do its best to give their beloved member a befitting funeral.

“We are saddened by this and want to use this opportunity to get the family to take heart. As a party, we are going to play our part to ensure that our friend, brother and mentor gets a befitting burial for the work he has done not only for the party for the nation as well”, John Boadu said.

Speaking about the life of Mr. Ashitey, John Boadu described the late legislator as an affable and very supportive fellow.

“We would have wished that such a person stayed a bit longer to help us continue to mobilise the people of Accra to support the party to ensure a total victory in 2024”, Mr. John Boadu stated.

Mr. Ashitey, aged 68, died on Friday, January 7, at the Tema General Hospital after a short illness.

The late Mr. Ishmael Ashitey joined the New Patriotic Party in 1992. Four years later, he was elected as the Member of Parliament for the Tema East Constituency; a role he occupied from 1996 to 2008.

During his days in Parliament, he served on committees such as the Mines and Energy Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee as well as Government’s Assurances and the House Committees. The late Ishmael Ashitey also served as a Minister of State at the Ministries of Food and Agriculture, Trade and Industry and the President’s Special Initiatives under the Kufuor administration.