Late former President Jerry John Rawlngs
• Today June 22, 2021, marks the 74th birthday of late former President Jerry John Rawlings
• Former President Rawlings died on November 12, 2020
• He died at the age of 73
His name is forever written in the history books of Ghana. Former President Jerry John Rawlings – the man who ushered Africa’s beacon of democracy into its current dispensation.
Jerry John Rawlings was born on June 22, 1947, and lived until November 12, 2020 at the age of 73.
He led two successful coup d’états between 1979 and 1981 and then served two democratic presidential terms between 1981 to 2001.
Rawlings came to power in Ghana as a flight lieutenant of the Ghana Air Force following a coup d’état in 1979. Prior to that, he led an unsuccessful coup attempt against the ruling military government on May 15, 1979, just five weeks before scheduled democratic elections were due to take place. After handing power over to a civilian government, he took back control of the country on December 31, 1981, as the chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC).
In 1992, Rawlings resigned from the military, founded the National Democratic Congress (NDC) – currently the largest opposition party, and became the first President of the Fourth Republic. He was re-elected in 1996 for four more years and successfully served his term.
Former President Rawlings died on November 12, 2020, at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital after getting admitted due to a short illness.
His funeral ceremony was held between January 24 to 27, 2021, and almost five months down the line, Ghanaians are once again remembering the firm and ever vibrant Jerry John Rawlings whose core following covered the average citizenry.
The former President if alive today, would have been 74 years and his foundation, the J.J. Rawlings foundation says it will in collaboration with the Forestry Commission and his beloved Achimota School to organize a tree planting exercise in his memory.
“The tree-planting exercise will occur at President Rawlings’ alma mater to raise awareness of our collective responsibility in protecting and preserving our environment – ideals that were very dear to the heart of J.J. Rawlings. The choice of venue is also to highlight the need for the younger generation to understand the role as guardians of nature and aims to empower students to take ownership of the campaign to preserve and protect our environment, one tree at a time,” a statement by the Foundation said.