Former President and flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has said, the principles of the June 4 Uprising should spur Ghana’s leadership to work selflessly towards a brighter future for the country.
In a Facebook post yesterday to mark the 44th anniversary of the event, he said the uprising brought forth the principles of probity and accountability which must be upheld by all, alongside the legacy of those who came before us.
“June 4 birthed the principles of probity and accountability. The events of that uprising must spur those of us in positions of leadership today to work selflessly and tirelessly towards a brighter future for Ghana and uphold the legacy of those who came before us,” former President Mahama said.
Mr Mahama, describing lives lost in the “fight for justice and accountability” as regrettable, paid tribute to their memory, said “their sacrifices paved the way for the democracy and constitutional governance we enjoy today.”
Despite the criticism of the commemoration, which used to be a national holiday, and the absence of former President Rawlings, former President Mahama said the day should be commemorated with utmost respect and gratitude.
Meanwhile, in Hohoe, in the Volta Region, where the day was marked, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) reported that, daughter of former President Rawlings, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, said the government’s initiatives and programmes geared towards youth development were not effective.
“They are propaganda. They have all the nice words; youth in Agric, YouStart, etc, but these are not changing the lives of our young people,” said Dr Agyeman-Rawlings, who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Korle Klottey in the Greater Accra Region.
Addressing a lecture on the theme: ‘Saving our Democracy: The spirit of June 4,’ she said the government should channel its policies to meet aspirations of the youth instead of “forcing people to do what sounds nice on paper.”
Dr Agyeman-Rawlings said the country’s democracy, which was 30 years and running, was built on a foundation of discipline, integrity, accountability and transparency, principles, which must continue.
She urged members of the NDC to be proud of their heritage, have the courage to fight injustice and not be divided, especially on tribal or religious grounds.
The June 4th Uprising was an uprising in 1979 that arose out of a combination of corruption, bad governance, frustration among the general public, and lack of discipline and frustrations within the Ghanaian army.
A group of young military men led by the late Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, compelled by the difficult and turbulent circumstances of the period and representing the angry mood of the people, took up arms and removed the leadership of the then Supreme Military Council II.
The incident was preceded by the abortive May 15, 1979 uprising, led by Flt Lt Rawlings, who subsequently incarcerated for sentencing in a public trial for his action, but in the night of June 3rd, junior military freed him, and ostensibly marched him to the national radio station to make an announcement.
BY JONATHAN DONKOR