The Headquarters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Adabraka, on Thursday, November 12, 2020, stood forlorn as news broke on the sudden death of its founder, Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings on Thursday morning.
Few party faithfuls had gathered there awaiting instructions from the hierarchy on how to manage the sudden death of the man who rode on the back of the party for two conservative electoral victories at the onset of Ghana’s Fourth republic.
Madam Sherry Ayitey, former Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and a staunch member of the NDC, clad in party colours wore a sad face and disbelief.
She had said members of the Party, led by Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang, the running mate to the Party’s flag bearer, were holding a programme at Pokuase, when they were told the sad news.
She said the Party was going to inform the public of the Party’s position and any development on the subject matter whenever it became necessary.
Madam Linda Mirekua Ansong, Assembly Member for the Kokomlemle West Electoral Area, Ayawaso Central Constituency, who was grieving, told the GNA, that all preparations to receive the running mate for a programme in the area on Thursday had been put on hold.
“When I heard the news around the 1200 noon, I doubted its accuracy because there have been many of such stories in the past especially, about some popular personalities, which later turned out to be untrue.
“I don’t know how to express how I’m feeling but I know you can sense it through my voice. I couldn’t handle it, the way I thought I could. But this thing has really broken me down that I can’t really take it…,” she sobbed.
Flt. Lt. Rawlings, born to Victoria Agbotui (late) from Dzelukope, Keta and James Ramsey John, a chemist from Castle Douglas in Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland on June 22, 1947, was the first President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana from 1993 to 2000.
Many people, including family members, party members, and non-party members had gathered at his residence at Ridge, a leafy part of Accra when the GNA visited.
They sat speechless, obviously pondering over the sudden departure of a man whose sheer charisma stole the hearts and minds of Ghanaians for a generation.
Godfred Sey/ Ahotoronline
