Ghana President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has described the late Christian Atsu as an exceptional athlete whom he admired during his playing days.
The Ghana leader on Monday hosted the family members of Christian Atsu to discuss funeral plans for the late Black Stars forward.
The meeting, which also included officials from the Ghana Football Association (GFA), saw the President express his condolences to the family and praise the contributions of the deceased to Ghanaian football.
During the meeting, President Akufo-Addo described Christian Atsu as "a gift sent to the country by God" and promised to ensure that the late forward receive a dignified burial.
“There are times when it is not pleasant to be in this chair, today is one of them. The young man we were all mourning is an exceptional athlete, a gift to our nation and those of us who are football fanatics and I count myself as one, spent a lot of time admiring him, his exploits on the field. The news that came from Turkey as a result of this tragedy that occurred there”
“It was a tortuous experience for us because initially we made to understand that he was alright and then came the concluding that indeed he has been called by the almighty. It’s a tragedy for his family, his community, and is tragedy for our country. I want express to you, the representative of his family and of the football fraternity of Ghana my deepest condolences and sympathies” he said.
While the date for Christian Atsu's funeral has yet to be determined, the family has scheduled a one-week observation of his passing on March 4.
The President's commitment to ensuring a dignified burial for the late Black Stars forward provides comfort to his family and fans alike as they mourn his loss.