Former President Jerry John Rawlings has in a characteristic June 4 address called for an urgent review of the Fourth Republican constitution to remove entrenched clauses that protect high level political actors and embolden some of them to abuse their office and criminally profit from their positions.
Delivering the keynote address at a parade, wreath-laying and durbar to climax activities marking the 40thanniversary of the June 4 uprising at Nungua on Tuesday, the architect of the uprising said there are many constitutional clauses that do not serve our interest and called for an urgent establishment of a constituent assembly to review them.
“Over the years the indemnity clauses have emboldened certain characters to abuse their offices and profit themselves. The constitution of the Fourth Republic was created by us, for us and to serve us, and in light of the 25 years, there is an unqualified need to reform or rewrite our current constitution. An urgent constituent assembly ought to be established with the necessary powers to rewrite the constitution,”
Flt Lt Rawlings said problematic clauses such as the transitional provisions and the indemnity clauses need to be reviewed to ensure that everyone is equal before the law to encourage transparency, accountability and responsible governance.
At the heavily attended durbar, the Chairman of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), Chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) and first President of the Fourth Republic said the key to Ghana’s development is a heightened self-discipline in all we do.
He said: “Our current sense of self-discipline is at its lowest ebb. Citizens do not feel responsible enough to keep their homes and communities clean. Many of us who lament about flooding during the rainy season are very guilty of the indiscretions that lead to the deadly floods. We dump refuse indiscriminately and wonder why drains choke. Some actually see the rains as an opportunity to dump refuse, believing the rainwater will sweep them away. If we continue this level of lawlessness, we are bound to face more serious flood disasters.
“Let us all do a thorough introspection and identify where we fall short because we all do fall short one way or the other,” Flt Lt Rawlings urged.
Recounting circumstances surrounding June 4 1979 and December 31, 1981, the former President said the explosion of June 4 could have taken place on May 15 of the same year had the charge in the atmosphere been ignited anywhere before midnight that day.
In like manner, Flt Lt Rawlings said, had those who climbed the seat of power three months later learnt the lessons of June 4, 31st December 1981 could have been avoided.
He said right after the PNP government came into office, those in authority proceeded to devalue the essence of the uprising by luring AFRC members out of the country, forgetting that most of the genuine, unrewarded and unrecognized leaders were still on the ground.
The intention of the authorities, the former president disclosed, was to intimidate, harass, arrest and persecute some of them. The motive of these actions, he said, was to re-terrorize people back into subordination and submissiveness, in order to re-govern the people with the fear factor.
“Instead of the then government taking up the challenge to lead a nation that was pumped up and ready to continue to rectify the rot, of the past, to defy any obstacle and to solidify the unity and purposefulness of our nation, the reverse is what occurred. This heightened the fever for June 4th,” the leader of the 31stDecember Revolution stated.
Former President Rawlings said humanity has always been defined by its freedom and justice. He said while humanity all over the world has faced revolts and revolutions resulting in public executions of the royal families in France and Russia for instance “some of us still have difficulties learning about the basic fundamentals of freedom, justice and democracy in governance.
Other speakers at the event where Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings and Edem Agbana.
Earlier the former President had reviewed the parade and helped to light the perpetual flame in memory of the fallen heroes.
Source: 3news.com
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This murder still walk around and disrespect ghanaians, he will surely live to see himself and family suffering before he dies, the current predicament of Ghana is all his make,God will surely punish this RAWLINGS MAN for killing innocent judges, sadly the weaning mother among them.i can already his long suffering illness, the most dangerous man in Ghana is JJ RAWLINGS. God will punish you and your family.
YES , I AGREE WITH RAWLINGS, ALL GHANA PEOPLE MUST COME TOGETHER TO CHANGE THE LAW, FEW PEOPLE ARE STEALING MANY PEOPLE WITH THAT SO CALL LAW, GH PP
Good point! If Zenator could skip parliament to do the June 4 ***barred word***, how come ayariga can't skip parliament to respond to a call from a court of competent jurisdiction? This impunity if NDC failing to respond to the laws if the land MUST STOP!!!!!
Rawlings must ***barred word*** because most of the Boys and Ministers were also taken cash from us. they were coming to our Sawmills to take money. I am asking him who was Anold Merz he was taken money from Sawmillers. who is Jamil his best friend
This hypocrite smuggled the clause in the constitution, ruled for all those years yet failed to remove it. After benefiting for all these years, he is now calling for its removal? Nobody has time for such a spent murderer. God himself will punish Rawlings for his wicked deeds.
KILLER!!!! I GET IRRITATED WHEN HE TRIES TO JUSTIFY THE INDEFENSIBLE COUPS THAT LED TO THE LOSS OF MANY LIVES AND BROUGHT MISERY AND POVERTY TO MAJORITY OF GHANAIANS. THIS KILLER, HIS FAMILY AND CRONNIES ARE THE ONLY BENEFICIARIES OF THE SO CALLED REVOLUTION. LOOK AT HIM TALKING ABOUT THE IDEMNITY CLAUSES. IS HE NOT THE MAIN BENEFICIARY? THE 1992 CONSTITUTION WAS CRAFTED MAINLY TO PROTECT AND GIVE THIS KILLER ABSOLUTE POWER.
Zenator Rawlings as an MP was celebrating June 4th at Nungua outside Parliament and Mahama Ayarega did not want to go to court; he lie bad
Jerry Rawlings is the biggest beneficiary of the transitional provisions of the 1992 constitution. If he knew it was bad, why did he smuggle those provisions into the constitution after the completion of the work of the constituent assembly? Jerry has always been a conman, and he always plays the tune so nicely that anyone listening to him will rather blame someone else for wrong doing. Why is it now that he's talking about the transitional provisions? He is now grooming his daughter so she can also be vice president of Ghana in 2024. All the stealing that he and his wife pepetrated by selling state properties to their family and took loans guaranteed by the state and so on, they will pay for it. Remember General Pinnochete? He arranged the the murder of the judges and the retired army officer on 30th June, 1982, and he will pay for it.
Murderer but majority of Ghanaians have accorded him some social "dignity"