Mahama Remembers Rawlings 2 Years On

Former President John Dramani Mahama has eulogized his former boss, the late Jerry John Rawlings as he commemorates two years of Mr Rawlings’ passing.

Mr Rawlings died two years ago on November 12.

In a Facebook post, Mr Mahama recalled “It is 2 years already since the passing of President Jerry John Rawlings, fondly called JJ.

“He steered our nation for 19 years, during which time he laid a solid foundation for our 4th Republic.”

“In these stormy times of economic uncertainty, he is remembered for his astute leadership in similar circumstances in the past. His legacy lives on and continues to shape the moral compass of many,” he added.

Mr Rawlings died at age 73.

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: Classfmonline.com