Former President John Kufuor has led dozens of past and current government officials and members of Parliament to attend the final funeral rites of Tommy Amematekpor at Agbozume, Sukladzi in the Ketu South of the Volta Region.
Some of the personalities who accompanied him were Kwadzo Npiani, for Chief of Staff, Addai Nimo for Member of Parliament (MP) for Asante Mampong, Boakye Agyako and former Energy Minister, Kwabena Adjei Agyapong and others.
When Mr Kufuor won the presidential election on the ticket of the New Patritic Party (NPP) in the 2000 general election, Mr Amematekpor served at the presidency as his Special Advisor.
In his biography, it was recorded that Mr Amematekpor was born on 23rd August 1943, at Gabazine, Sukladzi in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region. His parents were Lawrence Kofi Amematekpor from Agbozume, and Madam Afiwor Amegakpui-Kpornu from White, both of blessed memory.
He was the last born of his parents and his mother doted on him and pampered him; he was untouchable and very often escaped discipline because his mother would always shield him. His mother, however, had a tough time handling her son Tommy.
At age six he would ask to be put at his mother’s back; his mother would willingly oblige, with his legs dangling. There he would cosily stay for long periods of time and refuse to be put down.
It was said that passers-by would stare in awe, lament and sympathiee with his mother for what he put her through.
In his tributes, president Kufuor referred to him as a loyal, dedicated and committed person. He said, “when our current party, the NPP was formed in 1992 and I expressed interest in its presidential candidacy, Tommy was among the first people who declared their unflinching support for me. We lost that bid but he was not perturbed.”
“He again supported my second bid for the NPP’s flagbearership in 1996 which I won, but lost the presidential election,” he added.
According to him, “when we eventually won in the 2000 elections and I became president of the nation in January 2001, he joined me at the seat of government as a special advisor and a member of my kitchen cabinet throughout the eight-year period of my presidency.”