Lee Ocran Was a Very Principled Person And a Friend -Mahama Pays Tribute

John Dramani Mahama

Former President John Mahama has said the late Lee Tandoh Ocran was a very principled person who was not easy to be convinced.

The late Lee Tandoh Ocran, former MP for the Jomoro Constituency, died on Thursday, 21st February 2019.

The former High Commissioner to South Africa and ex-MP for Jomoro passed on before midnight at 37 Military Hospital in Accra on Thursday, February 21, 2019. Mr Ocran was said to have battled with ill health for some days leading to his passing away.

He spent 74 years before and left behind three children.

His burial service is currently ongoing at his hometown, Nawule near Half Assini in the Jomoro Municipality in the Western Region.

In his tribute, Mahama noted that late Lee Ocran was a very principled person and a friend.

He also added that was very liberal to be given him lesson in politics.

"...Lee Ocran was an unrepented Nkrumist and know that I came from Nkrumist family, I became a close comrade of his, we became friends at East Legon", he revealed.

He continued "...Of course we know what the work Lee Ocran has done not only for our party but also for us when we were in government, he served in many positions and he served with his vision".

He added, "Of course one thing that we all know Lee Ocran for because he was very principle person and if he believed in something there was nothing you could ever do to change his mind".

He testified that "There was a particular incident where during the heat of energy crisis, there was an issue needed to be resolved and so I called him, some of his board members and the Chief Executive Officer of VRA to my office to try to solve the issue and I made a certain suggestion and that a very characterise of Lee Ocran he quickly retorted, His Excellency we shall never agree to this one and that was the kind of person Lee Ocran was".

He lamented "We have lost a true Comrade and a friend, even in the last minute on his hospital bed, I believed...was still at work, I went to visit him in the hospital and he then woken up from sleep, I talked to him, he smelled and I told him he shouldn't deserve to be here at this time because in 2020 we have a very serious matter ahead, he smelled and then we continued to chat and then he kindly pointed towards to me, I said I don't like the look on your face, I thought he was talking to me but apparently there was a nurse standing behind me and looking at him very intensely...and so even when he was on sick bed, he said I don't like the look on your face and he said no the nurse standing behind you".

"And that was the nature of the man, fact, very truthful and so on this occasion all we can do is to condole with the bereaved family and so urge that we celebrate the life of deceased and that we lay the ideal that he stood for his life and that was one of the principle and integrity", he said.

He concluded, "And so, on behalf of the whole NDC party, we wish our Comrade Lee Ocran a peaceful rest, may his soul rest in perfect peace".

Former President John Mahama was accompanied by all the National Executives of the NDC and some NPP Executives.

He served as Minister for Education of Ghana from 2012 to 2013. Ocran was appointed Minister by President John Atta Mills in February 2012 in a cabinet reshuffle following the resignation of Betty Mould-Iddrisu from the government and the sacking of Martin Amidu.

In 2000 he was Deputy Minister of Environment Science and Technology. Since January 2005 as a candidate from the National Democratic Congress, he was Member of Parliament for the Jomoro Constituency until he lost his seat to the daughter of Kwame Nkrumah, Samia Nkrumah of the Convention People's Party in the December 2008 parliamentary election.

In February 2014, Ocran was sworn in as board chairman of the Volta River Authority. On May 13, 2015 he described the Bui Dam as a White Elephant (extravagant but burdensome gift).