Father Forgive Us – Anita De Sosoo Begs Rawlings

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has apologized to their founder and former President of Ghana, H. E. Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings for their wrong doings to him, begging him for forgiveness and calling for unity.

The National Vice Chairman of the party, Anita De Sosoo made the plea on behalf of the party on June 4th 2018, during the 39th anniversary of the June 4th uprising at the Madina Social Welfare School Park in Accra.

Kneeling before the founder, Anita indicated that they have erred against their founder and that she apologizes on behalf of the party and pleads for his forgiveness. She also pleaded for unity between him and the party for the good of mother Ghana.

The programme which was graced by party big whit and some former government appointees was under the theme “Reorganizing Towards the Core Values”. She said “Father, I know as your children we have erred, and I also know you as a human being you have also done something which maybe is not right, I’ll take this opportunity on behalf of the party to kneel down before my father; please forgive us, lets come together to build this country”.

She added that, being a leader, one should be prepared to say ‘am sorry’. She said “if you are a leader, be prepared to say I am sorry, and if you are a child, be prepared to say ‘daddy am sorry’.

Anita decried the division among the rank and file of the party, especially on the cadre front and appealed for unity, respect sacrifice.

The former President however chided the Deputy Chairman of the NDC for allegedly bleaching; complaining that she is “looking too fair” and that Ghanaians should stop using bleaching materials.

The former President in addressing stakeholders advised the party to “rise up from the ashes of 2016” and return to the tenets of June 4th, which embodies integrity, probity and accountability.

He said the people of Ghana rose up thirty nine (39) years ago against the decay that brought the nation to its knees, and allowed the international community to label Ghana as a collapse state. He further said that the country was crying for an end to the decay in the system then.

He said that though the coup was staged by junior ranked officers of the Ghana Armed Forces, the spirit of Ghanaians at that time was solidly behind the uprising. He added that “June 4th 1979 was a special day that God gave to the people of Ghana.

He further stated that, events of June 4th 1979 and 31st December 1981were not for individuals or a small group of people, but to redeem the Freedom and Justice that Ghana so proudly touts.

He however stated that the truth about June 4th has been distorted by elements within the NDC and their political opponents for their parochial interests.

He advised the NDC that their call for reorganization should not be for any personal interest, but should be all-encompassing.  He admonished them to return to the values of June 4th, adding that “the survival of the NDC is not hinged on any individual, not even Jerry Rawlings, but hinged on the core values that the theme for the celebration refers to”.

Lawrence Lamptey, a youth activist of the NDC on his part earlier lamented that the NDC has not learnt lessons from the defeat of 2016, repeating the same mistakes that led to their painful lose. He further asked the party to return to the ideals of June 4th. He also recommended a serious house cleaning for the party.

Edi Bright, a young cadre and a youth activist on her part explained that the prevailing socio-political environment at the period preceding the June 4th justified its occurrence. She added that “June 4th was an answer to desperation and hopelessness.

She was however disheartened that many years after June 4th, the social and economic barriers between leadership and the populace have not been broken.

Other speakers included Hon. Nii Armah Donkor, Fritz Baffuor (former Minister of Communications) and H. E. Ambassador Daniel Abodakpi. They advised party leadership and members to return to the core values that founded the party and eschew class corruption that has engulfed the party.

By: Frederick E. Aggrey