The ruling National Democratic Congress and JJ Rawlings Foundation have collaborated to mark the 78th birthday of the Founder of the party, the late Jerry John Rawlings, at a solemn ceremony in Accra.
The event was earmarked as a day to celebrate the selfless and invaluable accomplishments of JJ Rawlings to the political landscape of Ghana spanning from his days as a young soldier in the late 1970s into the early 1990s, when he transitioned from the military uniform to becoming the country’s first democratically elected Head of State under the 4th Republic.
Speaking at the event, the General Secretary of the NDC, Fiifi Kwetey, intimated that it is about time the family of the late former President returned to the party to fulfil the enduring ideals as espoused by their dad.
He added that the roots of the NDC lineage would not be complete until it is linked with the return of the former First family to the party’s fold.
“The venerable JJ Rawlings was a driving force and big brain behind our party, the NDC and the numerous successes we have chalked in the administration of the country whilst we have had the reins of power and as such as, his enduring legacy as a key cornerstone of our formidable party would not be complete without the return of the surviving members of his immediate family.
It would be good news to see our mother (Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings) in the great Akatamanso family for that big reunion our party’s base has been craving for.”
Mr Fiifi Kwetey further intimated that the man, JJ Rawlings, and his momentous role of stepping into the deep bowels at such a young age reveal that it was an act of fate and not by coincidence, which must be immortalized in the memories of the current generations of Ghanaians and the succeeding ones.
“This special occasion is not just a ceremonial gesture of celebrating the birthday of our great Founder, but to appreciate the blood, sweat, and tears he had to endure to rescue our country from the doldrums of his early days as a dutiful and committed soldier with an undying love for his motherland.
As such, occasions like what we are observing today are to immortalize his legacy in the sands of time and the minds of all party members and Ghanaians for future reference as a turning point in our history as a country.”
The JJ Rawlings Foundation also celebrated the undying legacy of the late former President by releasing a statement documenting the life accomplishments of JJ Rawlings as a young and excellent military man who later became the first President under the 1992 Constitution.
“His leadership, vision, and uncompromising dedication to justice for all and sundry were second to none. The departure of an accomplished statesman and global icon in the mould of JJ Rawlings in 2020 left an indelible mark on the world.
But we are comforted by the fact that despite the pain of his demise, his undying accomplishments keep projecting his legacy for not just the new generation of Ghanaians and Africans, but the torch shines brighter across the globe as well.”
The birthday of the party’s Founder, which falls on June 22, is now marked yearly by the NDC as “Rawlings Day” to bring together a cross-section of not only party members and sympathizers but members of the general public.
Story by Sika Togoh |univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Sika Togoh
