President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo together with his Vice, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia today, joined other dignitaries to attend the state burial of the late Chairman of the Council of Elders and Founding member of the New Patriotic Party, (NPP), Clement Kubindiwor Tedam at the Paga primary school park, in the Upper East Region.
The state burial amidst cultural displays was attended by Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye, the Speaker of Parliament, Minsters of state, Members of Parliament, leaders of the NPP and other political party functionaries, and traditional authorities among others.
The astute politician was laid to rest at his home according to the royal customs of the Paga Traditional Area.
President Akufo-Addo described the late C. K. Tedam as a Ghanaian patriot, an outstanding statesman, a stalwart and legend of the NPP whose contribution to development and democratic governance remained outstanding.
“He belonged to group of Ghanaians, who never wavered despite persecution and vilification, in their belief that a vigorous, market economy, within an open democratic system of governance, would best serve the needs of our nation.
“C. K. Tedam leaves a big void not only in the NPP family and the Ghanaian nation, but also in my personal life, as he was a constant and consistent source of good and invaluable counsel. I will miss him dearly,” the President added.
Vice President Dr. Bawumia in a tweet described Mr. Tedam as a rare specie of politician and statesman who dedicated his entire life to serve Ghana.
According to Dr. Bawumia, his honesty and integrity were his most important assets.
Adding that CK Tedam was a devoted Christian who lived a saintly life and will sorely missed.
The children of the late Prince described their father as God-fearing and firm disciplinarian, who served his family, constituents and the nation with patriotism, fairness, humility and selflessness.
The children said though as royals, the late Chairman taught them to live simple lives and see everyone as equal.
The Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Tamale and the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, Most Reverend Philip Naameh, who presided the burial mass, called the late C. K. Tedam as a “man of peace who did everything he could to better the lives of those he served”.
He urged Ghanaian politicians to emulate the outstanding virtues of the late C. K. Tedam and serve the country with dedication to improve upon the lives of the people in the country.
Mr. C. K Tedam, 94, before his death in May this year was the Chairman of the Council of Elders of the NPP and the last surviving member of the Northern People’s Party, the first NPP. He played a critical role in the development of the Danquah-Domba-Bussia political tradition.
A teacher by profession, he began his political career in the pre-independence era and contested in elections for the Legislative Assembly held for the second time in the Gold Coast on 15 June 1954.
He was one of 11 independent candidates who won a seat in the 104-seater Assembly dominated by the Convention People’s Party which controlled the House with 71 seats.
In the next election in 1956, C.K Tedam, a royal of Paga in the Upper East Region stood on the Northern People’s Party and won his seat.
During the military regimes, C.K Tedam served as a Local Government Minister in the Supreme Military Council.
After Ghana returned to civilian rule in 1993, C.K Tedam was key in forming the NPP that contested the presidential elections and lost.
He was elevated to join the Council of State after the NPP first won political power in 2000 and was made chairman of the party’s Council of Elders when NPP lost power in 2008.
He died on May 25, 2019 at Mamprobi in the Greater Accra Region leaving behind six children.
