Former President Jerry John Rawlings is dead, according to a report from
\nGhanaWeb.<\/p>\n
The former president GhanaWeb understands passed on, today, November 12,
\n2020, after a brief illness.<\/p>\n
According to state-owned Daily Graphic, the former President had been on
\nadmission at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for about a week for an
\nundisclosed ailment. He was 73.<\/p>\n
It will be recalled that Mr Rawlings recently lost and buried his mother
\nlast month.<\/p>\n
Jerry John Rawlings was born in Accra on 22nd June 1947, to a Ghanaian
\nmother from Dzelukope, near Keta, in the Volta Region, and a Scottish
\nfather.<\/p>\n
Background of Rawlings<\/p>\n
Jerry John Rawlings was born in Accra on 22nd June 1947, to a Ghanaian
\nmother from Dzelukope, near Keta, in the Volta Region, and a Scottish
\nfather.<\/p>\n
He was educated at Achimota School where he obtained his General
\nCertificate of Education ‘O’ Level in 1966.<\/p>\n
He enlisted as a Flight Cadet in the Ghana Air Force in August 1967, and
\nwas subsequently selected for officer cadet training at the Ghana
\nMilitary Academy and Training School, Teshie, in Accra.<\/p>\n
In March 1968, he was posted to Takoradi in the Western Region to
\ncontinue his course.<\/p>\n
He passed out in January 1969, as a commissioned Pilot Officer. He won
\nthe coveted “Speed Bird Trophy” as the best cadet in flying and
\nairmanship.<\/p>\n
He earned the rank of Flight-Lieutenant in April 1978. He was an
\nefficient officer with a close rapport with his men.<\/p>\n
During his service with the Ghana Air Force, he witnessed the
\ndeterioration of discipline and morale, reflecting the corruption of the
\nregime of the Supreme Military Council (SMC) at that time.<\/p>\n
As promotion brought him into contact with the privileged classes and
\ntheir social values, his awareness of the injustices in society was
\nsharpened.<\/p>\n
He was thus regarded with some unease by the SMC. He read widely and
\ndiscussed social and political ideas with a growing circle of
\nlike-minded friends and colleagues.<\/p>\n
On May 28, 1979, Flt.-Lt. Rawlings, together with six others, appeared
\nbefore a General Court Martial in Accra, charged with leading a mutiny
\nof junior officers and men of the Ghana Armed Forces on 15th May, 1979.
\nThere was strong public reaction, especially after his statement had
\nbeen read in court, explaining the social injustices that had prompted
\nhim to act.<\/p>\n
The ranks of the Armed Forces, in particular, expressed deep sympathy
\nwith his stated aims. When he was scheduled for another court appearance
\non 4th June, 1979, Flt.-Lt. Rawlings was sprung from custody. With the
\nsupport of both military and civilians, he led a revolt, which
\ndecisively ousted the Supreme Military Council from office and brought
\nthe Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) into being.<\/p>\n
The AFRC, under the chairmanship of Flt.Lt. Rawlings carried out a
\n“house-cleaning exercise” aimed at purging the Armed Forces and society
\nat large of corruption and graft as well as restoring a sense of moral
\nresponsibility and the principles of accountability and probity in
\npublic life.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, following the programme already set in motion before the 4th
\nJune Uprising for civilian administration, general elections were held.<\/p>\n
On 24th September 1979, the AFRC handed over to the civilian Government
\nof the People’s National Party (PNP) under President Hilla Limann.<\/p>\n
On 31st December 1981, Flt. Lt. Rawlings led a section of the Armed
\nForces to overthrow the PNP administration. A Provisional National
\nDefence Council (PNDC), composed of both civilian and military members,
\nwas established, with Flt-Lt. J.J. Rawlings as the Chairman.<\/p>\n
His interests include reading, building model aircraft, horse-riding and
\nswimming. He is married to Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings with whom he has
\nfour children – three girls and a boy.<\/p>\n
Flt-Lt. Rawlings ceased to be a member of the Ghana Armed Forces with
\neffect from September 14, 1992. He formed the National Democratic
\nCongress, which contested and won the 1992 Presidential and
\nParliamentary elections. He and the party again won the 1996 elections.<\/p>\n
His term of office ended in the year 2000.<\/p>\n
He is the joint recipient of the 1993 World Hunger Prize. He holds an
\nHonorary Doctor of Law Degree from Medgar Evers College, City University
\nof New York and Lincoln University Doctorate Degree for Diplomacy and
\nDevelopment.<\/p>\n
Former President Rawlings ‘tearfully’ pays last respect to late mother
\nVolume 90%<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Former President Jerry John Rawlings is dead, according to a report from GhanaWeb. The former president GhanaWeb understands passed on, today, November 12, 2020, after a brief illness. According to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":76847,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-76846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n