Cadres mark June 19 Uprising

The Greater Accra branch of the Patriot Club of Ghana (PCG) has marked this year’s cadres day in commemoration of the June 19 uprising.

The occasion was aimed at celebrating cadres as well as recognizing their immense contribution to the country.

The 30th anniversary celebration was held on Wednesday on the theme “Together We Can Build a Better Ghana”.

Nii Gyasi Ankrah, an old cadre, who gave a brief history about the uprising, said the commemoration of June 19, 1983 was the obnoxious jail break of the three prisons - Ussher Fort, James Fort and the Nsawam Prison by some junior ranks of the Ghana Armed Forces.

He said the days of cadres were days of real love and true support for the country and not days of payment and demand for political favours and recognition because cadres worked selflessly, and many were prepared to go to bed without food so to achieve the purpose of the revolution.

He said the 31st December revolution brought life, and the needed encouragement to do more to bring sanity into the social lives of Ghanaians because there was probity and accountability.

Gyasi Ankrah indicated that, during those days, there was law and order where there were no choked gutters, no heaped refuse dumps, bills were promptly paid, managers and supervisors feared to cheat their junior workers because the system was clean.

He commended former President Jerry John Rawlings for his commitment and the level to which he had brought the country and his encouragement to Ghanaians to have hope in the midst of many difficulties.

He also commended late Colonel Muamar Ghadafi, who responded to the call to rescue Ghanaians, by supplying the country with oil and food aid after three years of drought.

Gyasi Ankrah noted the day was to honour all cadres and also remember Mr Afari Kuta, PDC Chairman who was shot by some fugitives led by Corporal Amedeka.

He mentioned that he did not regret serving former President Rawlings because he had gained the experience he needed to fashion out his life and urged cadres to be proud of the organisation as they were groomed along the lines of discipline, trustworthiness, truthfulness and justice.

Mr David Assumeng, Member of Parliament for Shai–Osu Doku said the day was significant because of its unique contribution to always seek the interest and well being of the masses.

He noted there should be a cadres’ fund to cater for old cadres and the children of fallen cadres who died and left their families behind and donated one thousand Ghana cedis to the fund.

Keda Bortey, a cadre in an interview, mentioned that the occasion called for a united cadre front with the principles of probity and accountability and congratulated Jerry Rawlings for the immense commitment for cadres as well as President John Dramani Mahama, who is focused to making the lives of Ghanaians better.