GHANA WILL DEVELOP IF WE FOLLOW THE PRINCIPLES OF JUNE 4 REVOLUTION-LECTURER
Nana Osei Piesie Antoh, the Former Lecturer at the Ghana Technology University and the Chief Elect for Krom Adwafo has admonished to Ghanaians to emulate the principles of June 4 Revolution led by the Late Former Presudent of the Republic, Jerry John Rawlings.
The June 4th Revolution or June 4th Uprising was an uprising in Ghana 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.
It was sparked when the then military government of the Supreme Military Council (SMC II) of Lieutenant General Fred Akuffo put then flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings on public trial for attempting to overthrow the government on May 15th 1979.
This happened because Rawlings was a junior soldier in the Ghanaian Army who with other soldiers were refused to be given their salaries.
Rawlings turned the trial against the government by accusing it of massive corruption and requesting that his fellow accused be set free as he was solely responsible for the mutiny.
He was incarcerated for sentencing. His diatribe resonated with the entire nation as there was massive suffering.
In the night of June 3rd 1979, junior military officers including Major Boakye Djan broke into the jail where Rawlings was being held and freed him, and ostensibly marched him to the national radio station to make an announcement.
The first time the public heard from Rawlings was a now legendary statement that he Rawlings had been released by the junior officers and that he was under their command.
He requested all soldiers to meet with them at the Nicholson Stadium in Burma Camp in Accra.
The entire nation went up in uproar. The soldiers rounded up senior military officers including three former heads of states, General F. K Akuffo, Ignatious Kutu Acheampong and Afrifa for trial.
They were subsequently executed by firing squad.
Rawlings was appointed the head of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) by the revolting Junior military officers to run the country until the ongoing election was completed.
Rawlings handed over Power to Dr. Hilla Limann in September 1979. But Rawlings again overthrew Limann on 31 December 1981.
Though June 4th became a noted date in Ghana's history, it has been said to be a date that brings a lot of pain to people who either lost loved ones, lost businesses or had to flee the country.
Till his death, Former Head of the State, JJ celebrated June 4 every year to commemorate the happenings during the time.
It was said that probity, accountability, Indiscipline and corruption generated the uproar I the country.
But many Ghanaians see the day as deadliest and saddest day in the history of the country.
Private Legal Practitioner and a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Lawyer Nkrabea Effah Dartey (rtd) is calling for the abolishment of the day.
He said, the day reminds the sad and tormenting pains on people. He revealed that, we should stop celebrating the day.
"People were killed, others suffered on this day. So why do we have to remember this day again......?"
But Former, Lecturer Nana Osei Piesie Antoh is of different view.
According to Nana, the operation of the day was based on accountability, probity, corruption and lack of Indiscipline within some leaders.
He said we should embrace the principles of the June 4 to cure the nation from the ills of corruption.
"We don't have to say some deeds within the period were inhumane, we should look at the vital purposes of the uprising if necessary and leave with it", Nana Osei Piesie Antoh told Nana Ampratwum, Host of the show.
Story by: FILASCO DEGENERAL
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