Minority members of parliament have suspended their campaign to mourn the death of former President Jerry John Rawlings.
The Minority in a statement signed by their leader Haruna Iddrisu said Mr Rawlings is unmatched in the fight against corruption as he made it a high-risk activity.
“His motivation for public service was for the public good,” the statement said.
“He selflessly and relentlessly fought cronyism, nepotism and graft. His death must inspire all to seek the national interest,” the statement added.
Below is the full statement:
NDC MINORITY MOURNS THE PASSING OF FORMER PRESIDENT AND NDC FOUNDER, H.E. JERRY JOHN RAWLINGS
The Minority in Parliament is deeply saddened at the tragic news of the passing of Former President and Founder of the National Democratic Congress, H.E. Jerry John Rawlings.
It is most difficult to come to terms with this shocking development considering that only a few weeks ago he looked well and hearty when we visited his home to commiserate with him on the loss of his dear mother
Ghana and I dare say Africa has lost a political icon. Ghana owes her current democratic credentials as a peaceful and stable democracy to Jerry John Rawlings. He is unmatched in the fight against corruption as he made it a high-risk activity.
His motivation for public service was for the public good. He selflessly and relentlessly fought cronyism, nepotism and graft. His death must inspire all to seek the national interest.
We offer our deepest condolences to his family, particularly our colleague, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings.
The void created by his departure cannot be filled. Ghana has lost a dedicated public servant par excellence.
All Minority MPs have accordingly suspended our campaigns consistent with the leadership exhibited by our Flagbearer, H.E. John Dramani Mahama.
May the Lord grant President Rawlings’ soul peaceful eternal rest.
Signed,
Haruna Iddrisu (MP)
[Minority Leader]
Mr Rawlings
Mr Rawlings was the founder of the NDC.
He passed away Thursday [12 November 2020] morning at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra. Mr Rawlings recently buried his mother, Madam Victoria Agbotui, who was 101 years old.
Mr Rawlings was 73 years old.
He was a former military leader, who subsequently became a civilian politician and led the country from 1981 to 2001 and also for a brief period in 1979.
He led a military junta until 1992, and then served two terms as the democratically-elected President of Ghana. Rawlings initially came to power as a flight lieutenant of the Ghana Air Force following a coup d’etat in 1979.
Prior to that, he led an unsuccessful coup attempt against the ruling military government on 15 May 1979, just five weeks before scheduled democratic elections were due to take place.
After initially handing over power to a civilian government, he took back control of the country on 31 December 1981, as the Chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC).
In 1992, Mr Rawlings resigned from the military, founded the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and became the first President of the Fourth Republic. He was re-elected in 1996 for four more years.
After two terms in office, Mr Rawlings stepped aside and endorsed his vice-president, the late John Atta Evans Atta Mills, as a presidential candidate in 2000.
Source : Classfm
