Launch Of JJ Rawlings And The Democratic Transition In Ghana

The book titled JJ RAWLINGS AND THE DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION IN GHANA with a Foreward by the late President of South Africa, Mr. Nelson Mandela, and authored by the political scientist and former Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse School of Medicine and Secretary of the University Teachers Association of Ghana, Professor Kwaku Danso-Boafo, was finally launched at Teachers' Hall in Accra on Wednesday December 10, 2014.

The launch was chaired by Dr. Sena Kpeglo, Registrar, Volta University of Allied Health, who represented Prof. Haruna Yakubu, Vice Chancellor of the University of Development Studies and Chairman of the Board of the Ghana Universities Press(GUP) publishers of the book. In a welcome address, Mr. Sistofe Tettey, Chief Executive of the GUP outlined the role of the Press and assured the audience of the desire of the Press to help document Ghana's history for posterity.

Dr. Nicholas Amponsah, Senior Lecturer, Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, who reviewed the book gave it high marks and touted it as one of the best, suitable for both academic institutions and the general public. He emphasised that the contribution of JJ Rawlings to Ghana's democratic transition cannot be wished away and despite the heart wrenching experiences of some of our compatriots during the regimes of the Armed Forces Revolutionary council and the Provisional National Defence council headed by Rawlings, Ghana is better for it. Mr. E.T. Mensah, a former Minister and Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram also lauded the book as a "must read" for all.

Prof. Danso-Boafo explained to the audience that research for the book commenced in 2001 and was supported with funding from the Mellon- Dubois Centre at Clark Atlanta university and the Fulbright- Hays Group Projects Abroad. He stated that part of the delay in the completion of the work was due to the painstaking evaluation of the manuscript by peer reviewers, a requirement for all academic texts. He informed the public that the book is organised under 15 chapters, covering 384 pages with 1062 endnotes and 250 bibliographical entries. He emphasised that it compiles with all the requirements of social scientific research. He stressed that it's sources are both credible and valid and are not intended to defame, malign, or drag anybody's name into disrepute! He pointed out that the book is an academic presentation and analysis of socio-econo- political events that occurred between 1979 and 2009. It was scheduled to be launched in 2009 but a few logistical problems prevented the launch.

In launching the book, Brigadier-General (retired) Nunoo-Mensah, Presidential Advisor on Human Security shared his experiences under the AFRC and PNDC as Chief of Defence then, as a Parliamentary candidate of the New Patriotic Party and currently an official in the NDC government, all made possible in our democratic dispensation. He urged all of us to help eliminate poverty and deprivation so as to safeguard our democracy. He praised those who engineered our democratic transition.

Prof. Danso-Boafo expressed gratitude to former President Rawlings for his contribution to the entire exercise. He also paid glowing tribute to the former Chief Executive Officer of the GUP, Dr. K.M. Ganu, without whose assistance the book would not have been published. He expressed gratitude Prof. Kwame Ninsin, formerly an academic colleague at the University of Ghana for his moral support and to Prof. Kwamena, Ahwoi, also a former academic colleague at the University of Ghana and Mrs. Valerie Sackey, former Head of the Castle Information Bureau, who provided immense editorial assistance.

Mr. Fritz Baffour, a noted Media Practitioner, a former Minister of Information and current Member of Parliament, served as the Master of Ceremonies and auctioneer.

Report By Emmanuel Beckson ( ebeckson@gmail.com)