Circle residents, traders disappointed over failure to watch Rawlings’s procession

Residents of the Nkrumah Circle have expressed disappointment over their inability to catch a glimpse of the procession of the late Jerry John Rawlings, The Ghanaian Times Newspaper has reported.

According to the residents, the diversion of route by the military gun carriage deprived them of the chance to pay their final respects to the departed former President of Ghana.

Some traders, drivers, passengers and bystanders were seen lined up on the walkway of the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, Wednesday in Accra to watch Rawlings’s caravan and to pay their last respect.

Some of them expressed their concerns with the Ghanaian Times Newspaper.

“I was anxious to see him being conveyed through the Nkrumah Circle,” one trader said.

Madam Nyaba said she recalls how she had to sprint to Accra for the first time in her life at the time Flt Lt Rawlings was being sworn in as the First President of the Fourth Republic.

“Flt Lt Rawlings was a man after my heart, and I wish he had lived on earth a little longer; one thing that I remember J.J Rawlings for is, even after his tenure in office, he advised the citizens of the country to always live in peace,” Kojo Asiedu, a trader at Nkrumah Circle added.

One Joseph Annan expressed his displeasure for not seeing the former Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Force and said that “I was eager to see the mortal remain pass through Circle so I could pay my final respect to him.”

Also, Michael who had just arrived at the Nkrumah Circle upon seeing Ghanaian Times said, he had just heard of the procession party passing through the place and was there to witness it.



Whiles praising the ex-military and civilian leader of the country, he said, “I am worried because I heard the mortal remains will be brought to this area but unfortunately, it did not happen.”

He further asserted that in as much as he was not able to meet him, he was happy that J.J Rawlings performed very well as a nation builder and a warrior for his nation.

The body of the late and former President, Jerry John Rawlings was taken through some dominant streets of Accra before his final burial at the Military Cemetery at Burma Camp.

Meanwhile, he was escorted by pallbearers, motorcade and the military band on the ground, whiles a helicopter, upheaving a Ghana flag accompanied them in the air.