The Late President Rawlings
Former President Jerry John Rawlings died yesterday, at 73, at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital after a short illness.
The former military ruler and subsequent civilian leader ruled Ghana from 1981 to 2001, and also for a brief period in 1979.
“1st President of the 4th Republic, His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings, has joined his ancestors. This tragic event occurred at 10:10am on Thursday, 12th November 2020, at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, where the former President was receiving treatment, after a short illness,” President Akufo-Addo announced yesterday.
The President, in conveying the nation’s sympathies to the Rawlings family, directed that all national flags should fly at half-mast for the next seven days in all parts of the country.
He further declared seven days of national mourning, from today, November 13, to Friday November 20.
“In honour of the memory of former President Rawlings, the Vice-President and I have suspended our political campaigns for same period,” he said in the statement.
The President gave the assurance that Government would work closely with the family on the arrangements for a fitting state funeral for the late former President, adding that he would keep the nation informed accordingly.
“A great tree has fallen, and Ghana is poorer for this loss. May his soul rest in perfect peace in the bosom of the Almighty until the Last Day of the Resurrection when we shall meet again. Amen!,” the President ended his statement.
Delegation at Jubilee House
Later in the evening, yesterday, the President received a delegation from the Rawlings’ family, led by Johnny Gblagodzi.
Mr Gblagodzi disclosed to the President that Mr Rawlings fell ill few days after the burial of his mother few weeks ago.
He said efforts were made by the family, including the President, to get the former President back to his feet but to no avail.
President Akufo-Addo, for his part, extended his deepest condolences to the family, and disclosed that he was informed of Mr Rawlings demise early yesterday morning when he arrived in the office.
“He is a man of great vitality, dynamism and energy,” the President said.
The President said although he and the former President had a tempestuous relationship for many years, “I believe that we came to see value in each other.”
“He is not an ordinary Ghanaian… a man who held the supreme office in Ghana and therefore his passage has to be a matter for the Ghanaian nation,” President Akufo-Addo said.
He assured the family that the Chief of Staff would liaise with them to agree on how to proceed with his final funeral rites.
NDC suspends campaign
Meanwhile, the flagbearer of the opposition NDC, John Dramani Mahama, has also announced on his Facebook wall that he has suspended his campaign tour of the Ashanti Region and has also directed all NDC campaigns across the country to be suspended.
“I have announced the suspension of my tour of the Ashanti Region and all NDC campaigns across the country following news of the passing of our Founder and former President of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings. May his soul rest in peace,” he said.
Former President Kufuor also kept it simple and tweeted “Rest in Peace Jerry John Rawlings.”
Rawling Family
A statement from the Rawlings family, signed by Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, first daughter of the late former President, requested “privacy at this difficult moment”, saying “details of funeral arrangements would be announced in due course.
Born on June 22, 1947 in Accra, Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings first shot into the Ghana’s political scene in 1979, through a failed coup attempt on May 15, 1979, just five weeks before scheduled democratic elections were due to take place. He bounced back successfully on June 4 the same year to lead another military junta, which lasted 112 days in office.
On December 31, 1981, the country’s longest serving leader overthrew the then President Dr Limann and chaired the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), which hanged on to power until 1992 when the country returned to democratic rule.
Subsequently on September 14, 1992, he resigned as a military personnel, founded the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and contested the elections on the ticket of the party, and won. He served his two terms and peacefully handed over power to the New Patriotic Party, led by John Agyekum Kufour, in January 2001.
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