Ghana's democracy lacks will to fight corruption - Rawlings

Former President Jerry John Rawlings on Thursday said Ghana's democratic dispensation, especially since the year 2000, appears to lack the will, the capacity and the ability to fight corruption.

'It appears that the colour of this democracy is very different from the democracy that we knew from 1982 to 1992; and also very different from the colour of the democracy that we knew from the constitutional period from 1992 to 2000.

'The colour of those revolutions contains the strong elements of justice, simpleness and freedom and the spirit of defiance to contain wrong doing. We should be asking ourselves what happened, especially from the year 2000.'

Former President Rawlings was speaking at a wreath laying ceremony and parade at the Revolutionary Square in Accra to mark the 34th Anniversary of the 31st December Revolution.

He said: 'The colour of this democracy seems to be too different from what we used to know; from the spirit of defiance that could contain the greed, the selfishness that had given rise to so much corruption and pain in this country.

'I keep hammering on this issue and I will continue to do so. I keep reminding ourselves that the colours of the revolution are extremely important, that we do everything possible to recapture that spirit before it becomes too late.

'I keep saying the people of this country are peace loving people; and is important that we do not take the peace loving nature of Ghanaians for granted,' he stated.

He said there is the need to reignite the spirit of the 31 and June 4 revolutions; adding that 'otherwise we may not be able to reach our destination'.

'The time has come for us to start looking at those who profited from the change in colour starting from 2000, and those who are profiting from it now,' he said.

'This ceremony as simple as it is should never be lost on us. The marking of the 31st December Revolution should serve as a reminder of what led to the June 4th 1979 and the 31st December 1981 Revolutions,' he added.

This year, Assistant Commissioner of Police Nuhu Jango, Nima Divisional Police Commander, lit the revolutionary perpetual flame on behalf of the former President.

Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, Greater Accra Regional Minister, laid a wreath on behalf of the people of Ghana.

The rest were Chief Inspector Courage Datsormor (Rtd), Ms Rejoice Ahiable, Cadre Corps Vice Chair, Nii Doo Naskie, Otublohum Mantse and Acting President of the Ga Traditional Council also laid wreaths on behalf of the security services, the cadres and traditional rulers.

Nii Tettey II, 2015 Greater Accra Regional Best Fisherman and Mr Napoleon Harrison, a farmer, jointly laid one on behalf of farmers and fishermen of Ghana; while Mr Benjamin Laryea, the Vice President of the Tertiary Educational Institutions Network of the National Democratic Congress laid one on behalf of the youth.

The parade was mounted by a contingent of 96 Young Cadres drawn from tertiary and second cycle institutions in the country.

It would be recalled that on December 31, 1981, former President Rawlings overthrew the then democratically elected government of President Hilla Limann's People's National Party (PNP) to form the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) government.