Akufo-Addo: JJ’s June 4 killings hasn’t ended corruption

Three-time flagbearer of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Akufo-Addo has said the killing of some military leaders over corruption allegations by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) regime led by Jerry Rawlings in 1979 has not had any impact on ending corruption in Ghana.

Contributing to a discussion on democracy and governance on the BBC in London recently, the former Attorney Generals said: “My own country, 30 years ago, a government came into power, shot some people because they said that they had been corrupt.”

“It has not stopped corruption in Ghana. So clearly that is not the solution. Lining up a few people and shooting them,” he told the audience.

Mr. Rawlings was Chairman of the AFRC, which governed from June 4, 1979 to September 24, 1979 after the Council forcefully took power in a bloody coup against another Military regime, Supreme Military Council.

June 4 came on the heels of a prior abortive coup on May 15, 1979 when Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings and other ranks were arrested.

The AFRC executed three former Military Leaders of Ghana as part of what the regime described as its “house cleaning” exercise.

Those executed were Lt. Gen Afrifa, Gen. I. K. Acheampong and Lt. Gen. Akuffo.

They were killed alongside five other Senior Officers.

Late Dr. Hilla Limann was later elected President on the ticket of the People’s National Party in subsequent elections allowed by the AFRC thus heralding Ghana into the Third Republic after 100 days of the AFRC’s bloody and iron-fisted rule.