A throwback video has resurfaced of Jerry John Rawlings handing over power to President Hilla Limann.
In the viral video that has resurfaced on TikTok, Rawlings reflected on corruption and governance challenges that had plagued the country prior to his administration.
Rawlings in the video stated, “During our short stay in power, we have demonstrated openly what many people had only suspected before, namely that the holding of office in government in this country had in almost all cases been used to plunder the wealth of the nation. Ghana is looking up to you. Thank you”.
The video showed a moment in Ghana’s return to constitutional rule following periods of military coups.
However, Jerry John Rawlings will later change Ghana’s political landscape yet again when he led yet another coup on December 31, 1981, to overthrow the democratically elected government of President Hilla Limann.
Rawlings coup resulted in the suspension of Parliament, the Constitution, and the establishment of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) on January 1, 1982.
Jerry John Rawlings would later transition from military leadership into democratic politics and eventually serve as Ghana’s first President under the Fourth Republic.
In other news, Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has boldly stated he does not regret withdrawing the diplomatic passport and courtesies of the late Jerry John Rawlings.
Reports suggest that, in the year 2001, after former President Rawlings left office, he was no longer accorded courtesies that were due him under the provisions of the 1992 Constitution.
“Although it was embedded in the 1992 Constitution that neither the President nor the Foreign Minister has the power to vary the pensions and facilities available to the former President to his disadvantage during his lifetime, those privileges were withdrawn by the then Kufour administration.
Also, Rawlings had his monthly pension re-computed based on the Greenstreet report. The Greenstreet report was the recommendation of a committee set up by the Kufuor administration to discuss ex gratia awards for ex-Presidents of Ghana”, reports stated.
The NPP government led by Kufuor retrieved all state vehicles in the custody of ex-President Jerry John Rawlings, among others.
In a resurfaced old video of former President Kufuor, he revealed he never regretted withdrawing the diplomatic passport and courtesies of former President Jerry John Rawlings for smearing him on an international stage.
Speaking in the resurfaced video, in an interview with Bola Ray, when quizzed if he regrets withdrawing the former President Jerry John Rawlings diplomatic courtesies, Kufuour stated, “Do you know what he did to me, please don’t let us go into that. Not pay back, but I was the sitting head of state, he was formal and sitting in a way that personifies the state”.
“When you go out to some foreign lands to speak, to describe your sitting head of state as incompetent and a disgrace to the nation, suppose it was his time, you think you could have said that about him and come back to Ghana?”.
“He came after such a trip, demanding that all of these things that courtesies be extended. So I said no when you use the word courtesy you should know that it is give and take. We withdraw so you don’t do it again”, he added.
When quizzed if he regretted his actions, Former President Kufuor boldly stated, No’, he does not regret doing that.
He further touched on his relationship with the late Nana Konadu, saying, Occassionally we meet. At a function, we shake hands. His wife is a distant relative of mine from Kumasi. These days, my relations with his wife are fine. Some time ago, some things really disturbed and I expressed my displeasure in ways for her to know she needed to go gingerly”.
Watch the video below:
@thegreatndc #fypシ゚viral🖤tiktok #history#throwback#fypシ゚viral🖤tiktok #1millionviews ♬ original sound – NDCfor2028
