Ten truths about late Jerry John Rawlings
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| Late Jerry John Rawlings |
One of the legends and powerful President Ghana has had in history is Late Jerry John Rawlings. He was married to Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings after they met at Achimota College. Their relationship produced Four children; Zenator Rawlings, Yaa Asantewaa Rawlings, Amina Rawlings, and Kimathi Rawlings.
10 facts about the late Rawlings.
Jerry John Rawlings was born Jerry Rawlings John on 22 June 1947 in Accra Ghana to Madam Victoria Agbotui and James Ramsey John.
Rawlings finished his secondary education at Achimota College in 1967 and joined the Ghana Air Force shortly afterwards; on his application, the military switched his surname John and his middle name Rawlings.
He was posted to Takoradi to further his studies in March 1968 and graduated in January 1969 and was commissioned as a pilot officer. He earned the rank of Flight Lieutenant in April 1978.
On 15 May 1979, five weeks prior to civilian elections, Rawlings and six other soldiers staged a coup against the government of General Fred Akuffo but failed and were arrested by the military. Rawlings was publicly sentenced to death in a General Court Martial but While awaiting execution, Rawlings was sprung from custody on 4 June 1979 by a group of soldiers.
Rawlings led the group in a coup to oust the Akuffo Government and Supreme Military Council. He then established and became the Chairman of a 15-member Armed Forces Revolution Council (AFRC) primarily composed of junior officers.
During his rule as the chairman of the Armed Forces, he arranged the execution by firing squad of eight military officers, including Generals Kotei, Joy Amedume, Roger Felli, and Utuka, as well as the three former Ghanaian heads of state; Acheampong, Akuffo, and Akwasi Afrifa.
On 24 September 1979, Rawlings handed power to President Hilla Limann but after two years, on 31 December 1981 Rawlings ousted President Hilla Limann in a coup d’etat on grounds that civilian rule was weak and the country’s economy was deteriorating.
Rawlings established the National Commission on Democracy (NCD) shortly after the 1982 coup and employed it to survey civilian opinion and make recommendations that would facilitate the process of democratic transition.
On 3 November 1992, election results compiled by the INEC from 200 constituencies showed that Rawlings’ NDC had won 60% of the votes, and had obtained the majority needed to prevent the second round of voting.
Rawlings became president from 1992 to 2000. He retired and was succeeded by President John Agyekum Kuffour in 2001. In November 2000, Rawlings was named the first International Year Of Volunteers 2001 Eminent Person by UN Secretary Kofi Annan attending various events and conferences to promote volunteerism.
He kicked the bucket on the 12th of November, 2020 at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
Ghgossip
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