London Blast: Kufuor Visits Mourning Family

President John Agyekum Kufuor within 15 hours after his return from an official visit to Jamaica, has visited in London, the family of the late Gladys Wundowa, the Ghanaian who died in the London bombing of July 7, 2005.

President Kufuor was at the Chadwell Heath home of the Wundowas(Gladys was among the 12 people killed in the now famous Bus 30).

President Kufuor was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nana Akuffo Addo, Trade and Investment Minister, Alan Kyerematen, Secretary to the President, Ambassador D.K. Osei and led by the Ghana High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Isaac Osei and some senior members of the Commission. It was also exactly a week of the historic bombing.

Earlier in the afternoon, London had stood still for 2 minutes silence in remembrance. At the Belgrave Square, the High Commissioner led staff in the silent moment of recollection in what is now referred to as The Event of Thursday 7-7(July 7, 2005).

When the Presidential delegation got to Chadwell Heath six hours after, there were the customary greeting from President Kufuor's side and a return to it by the family. President Kufuor told the dozens of Ghanaians gathered that Gladys Wundowa's passing was one of the ironies of life, to be killed prematurely by people she did not know and had not offended. But in that irony, he said, should be the strengthening of faith in God especially from the family.

If the world was truly a global village which he thought it was, then, Gladys' passing should not only necessitate a gathering for her mourning but for fighting a common goal of eliminating the role of terrorism in global affairs. The High Commissioner, Isaac Osei on behalf of the president presented the family with drinks and an undisclosed amount of money which, according to the Government's spokeman for the moment, was to help in preparation towards the return of the corpse to Tsito in the Volta Region, the home of Gladys .

Emmanuel Wundowa, the widower from Northern Ghana with their two children and extended family were visibly spirited with the visit. Acknowleding that his wife was obviously very dear to him and a replacement of her sterling qualities hard to even dream about, the presence of President Kufuor to what would otherwise be an ordinary mourning had raise the scale.

''I am very proud to be a Ghanaian'' he said to applause. He also thanked Mr. Isaac Osei who visited their home immediately after anxiety brought the death of Gladys. He had gone to commisorate with them and assured Government support.

According to Emmanuel Wundowa, Gladys did not die on the spot after the blast but in an ambulance on the way to hospital. The Coroner's Inquiry will be ready within the week and since the death by British law is criminal, it would be a while before the body would be released to him for burial in Ghana. He acknowledged the support of the British Government.