The family of the late veteran Ghanaian actor, Nii Odoi Mensah, has thanked President John Dramani Mahama for offering to pay for the transfer of his remains from China.
The former President of the Ghana Actors Guild, Nii Odoi Mensah, died on April 12 in China, where he was supposed to undergo a kidney transplant.
The transplant became necessary after doctors declared his two kidneys as incapable of functioning well enough to keep him alive.
[contextly_sidebar id=”j0obP52BAJFFzY4FXXgPRsSWJNKJ1kZ1″]Reports however say he was unable raise the required $25,000 for the surgery. Following his death, authorities in China are demanding payment for the amount spent on his treatment and for the transfer of his remains to Ghana.
Media reports have suggested that the family is unable to raise the amount. As a result, there had been suggestions that his body should be cremated in China.
The reports suggested the family needed to pay at least $68,000 before the body could be flown to Ghana, a claim they denied, saying the amount is far less.
The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu Agyare, who led a government delegation to visit the family of the late actor at his residence at Teshie Nungua, announced that President Mahama was ready to foot for the transfer of the remains to Ghana.
According to Peacefmonline, the Minister said “When I heard that Odoi Mensah had passed away in China and bringing his remains to Ghana has become a problem, we decided to come to the family and discuss how we can be able to bring his body back home. I also informed the President about the situation and the President said he can’t allow the remains of a proud son of Ghana to be stuck in China. The President said I should inform the family to wipe away their tears because he would do whatever it takes and pay any amount of money needed to bring Odoi Mensah’s remains to Ghana for a befitting burial”.
She also added that the Chief of Staff has already started arrangements for the body to be transported to Ghana, so she would return to the Flagstaff House with some of the family members to meet the Chief of Staff to facilitate the process as soon as possible.
Head of the family, Nii Kwa on behalf of the family gladly accepted the President’s offer and thanked him for his kind gesture.
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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AfanyiDadzie