The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Akufo-Addo has said he is “deeply saddened by the news of the death of Singapore’s founding father and first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew.”
In a statement to pay tribute to the departed Singaporean, the three-time presidential candidate of the main opposition party in Ghana said: “I extend my deepest condolences to his family, the government and the people of Singapore.”
The Singaporean founding leader died at the age of 91. He was the city-state’s prime minister for 31 years and was widely respected as the architect of Singapore’s prosperity. A state funeral will be held on 29 March, after a week of mourning.
Akufo-Addo said: “Every so often, history produces an individual who impacts the lives of millions of people around the world, and Lee Kuan Yew was, undoubtedly, one of such persons.
“His leadership of Singapore, spanning a period of 30 years, was responsible for the transformation of a small island outpost into one of the wealthiest nations in Asia. Singapore reflected the man: efficient, incorruptible, inventive, forward-looking and pragmatic. In the affairs of the region, he proved to be a great strategist and one of Asia’s most influential politicians.”
“He was not perfect, but his name will echo down the ages and will forever be remembered as a statesman, visionary and a remarkable leader,” Nana Addo said.
