Ghana: Week of national mourning declared from November 13 following death of former president

Event

A week of national mourning will be observed from Friday, November 13, following the death of former president Jerry John Rawlings. Rawlings passed away in the capital Accra on Thursday, November 12, after a short battle with illness. 

John Mahama, presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), founded by Rawlings, announced that he will be suspending campaigning for next month's elections in order to pay his respects. 

Although gatherings in Ghana are likely to be dispersed by police due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, there remains the potential for larger commemorative gatherings or protests in the developments following Rawlings' death.

Context

Rawlings was a Ghanaian military officer and politician who led the country between 1981 to 2001 and for a brief period in 1979. He led a military junta until 1992, before serving two terms as the democratically elected President of Ghana.

Advice

Those in Ghana are advised to maintain a heightened level of situational awareness in the medium term, remaining respectful and avoiding discussing sensitive topics in public. Travelers should monitor local media sources to remain apprised of any disruption in their particular area of operations.