Jerry Rawlings

For more information on Jerry John Rawlings, visit Britannica.com.

(b. Accra, 22 June 1947) Ghanaian; head of state 1979 and 1982 –  ; elected president 1993 – 2001 Born to a Scottish father and a Ghanaian Ewe mother Rawlings joined the air force as a cadet in 1967 straight after leaving school. In 1978 he was promoted to the rank of flight lieutenant. In May 1979 he led an abortive coup d'état and was detained but the following month he was freed by his supporters within the military and ousted the incumbent military government. As chairman of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council he served as head of state for three months before handing over power to an elected civilian government. On New Year's Eve 1981 he led a further coup to oust the civilian government, this time making it clear that there would be no rapid return to civilian rule.

As chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) he embarked on a radical populist phase with the declared aim of transforming Ghanaian society. He established a series of "revolutionary" institutions including People's Defence Committees (PDCs) and Worker's Defence Committees (WDCs) but these were abandoned in 1984 by Committees for the Defence of the Revolution (CDRs). None of these committees enjoyed significant levels of autonomous power. From around 1983 Rawlings abandoned his left-wing economic policies, losing much of his student and trade union support in the process. Following a series of agreements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) he adopted economic liberalism and introduced tough public austerity measures and a massive devaluation of the (significantly over-valued) Ghanaian currency. Although these measures were deeply unpopular in many circles they had the effect of reversing the chronic economic decline which had occurred continuously since independence.

In 1991, following a combination of domestic and international pressure, Rawlings agreed to reintroduce a civilian multi-party system. He retired from the air force and in the November 1992 presidential election he won over half of the popular vote as the candidate of the, newly created, National Democratic Congress (NDC). Although opposition parties claimed electoral fraud evidence suggests that Rawlings was genuinely supported by a majority of voters.

During his time in power the Ghanaian economy has unquestionably improved, and political stability has been maintained although at some cost to civil liberties and human rights. Rawlings has maintained his reputation as an honest and rather ascetic leader who has not used his position for personal enrichment.

president

Personal Information

Full name, Jerry John Rawlings; born June 22, 1947, in Accra, Ghana; son of Madam Victoria Abbotoi; married, wife's name Nana Konado Agyeman; children: two daughters.
Education: Attended Achimota School and Ghana Military Academy at Teshie.

Career

Pilot Officer in Ghanian Army, 1969-78, flight lieutenant, 1978-79; leader of military coup which overthrew a government of the Supreme Military Council, June, 1979; leader of military coup which overthrew government of Dr. Hilla Liman, December 31, 1981; head of state and founder and chairman of Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC), 1982--; elected president of Ghana in multi-party election, 1992. Stepped down from Presidency, 2001.

Life's Work

The enigmatic and controversial Jerry Rawlings was the head of state in Ghana continuously from 1981-2001. Rawlings, who took power during military coups in 1979 and 1981, more recently won Ghana's first multi-party presidential election in 11 years by a sizable margin. Although opposition leaders characterize Rawlings as little more than a despot who has exerted every effort to curb democracy and freedom of speech in Ghana, his supporters counter that during his tenure as chief executive, Ghana's economy has improved substantially, and local efforts to feed and educate the people have reversed trends toward poverty and insolvency. Africa Report contributor Richard Joseph explained: "Unlike many military rulers in Africa, who can only hope to govern through the barrel of a gun, Jerry Rawlings has acquired a broad support base among diverse sections of the population."

Located on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, Ghana is a tropical country with significant mineral resources and enough fertile farmlands to produce crops for consumption and export. Ghana's principal money-making exports are gold, industrial diamonds, and cocoa. Its capital city, Accra, holds more than one million people. The nation was one of the first in Africa to declare independence from colonial rule, becoming an independent principality on March 6, 1957. Since then Ghana has been ruled by a series of civilian and military regimes, with most power transitions occurring during coups.

One such coup brought Rawlings to power, and even though he has since acceded to calls for multi-party democracy, he remains in control. Rawlings told Africa Report: "I would say that Ghana is going through an exciting process of evolving democratization, which will enable us to say to other nations: 'This is ours, an organic consequence of our culture and history.' Perhaps this will be the difference between ours and others."

Rawlings was born in Accra on June 22, 1947. Little is known about his family background except that it was unusual--his mother was a Ghanian of the Ewe ethnic group, his father was from Scotland. This heritage accounts for both Rawlings's European facial features and his immense popularity with the Ewe people in Ghana. He was educated at the Achimota School, where he earned the equivalent of a high school diploma in 1966. After that he enrolled at the Ghana Military Academy at Teshie.

By virtue of his exceptional abilities and his engaging personality, Rawlings was chosen for flight training with Ghana's air force. He took his cadet training in Takoradi, beginning in 1967, and two years later was commissioned as a pilot officer. He won his country's "Speed Bird Trophy" as the best cadet in flying and airmanship in 1969.

All of these accomplishments came during a period of relative prosperity in Ghana. As the 1970s progressed, however, Rawlings and other young military officers became distressed by the perceived corruption of government officials and by drastic declines in the Ghanian economy. When the ruling regime legalized political parties early in 1979, the young, recently-promoted Flight Lieutenant Rawlings emerged as a spokesman for a new populism that was sweeping the nation at the time. He quickly earned a wide following among the people--especially the poor--and the government equally quickly found reason to throw him into prison. Accused of leading a mutiny among junior officers, Rawlings went to jail in May of 1979. At his court hearing he denounced the ruling government, headed by Frederick Akuffo, as corrupt and elitist.

Rawlings did not languish in prison for long. His confederates among the junior officers secured his release on June 4, and they immediately set about taking over power. Rawlings used a radio station to announce that he was forming an Armed Forces Revolutionary Council to oust Akuffo, and that this new council would hold power only until elections could return the country to civilian rule. Amidst much jubilation in the general population, Rawlings and his companions hastened to the presidential residence and assumed the leadership of Ghana.

The 1979 coup was not bloodless by any means. A hasty military tribunal found three leaders from the previous regime guilty of corruption, and they were all executed. On the other hand, Rawlings kept his promise to turn power over to a civilian government. Elections were held in September of 1979, and Dr. Hilla Limann was voted into the presidency. Rawlings returned to the military and his duties as a flight lieutenant.

Tensions soon developed between the Limann administration and Rawlings. As the Ghanian economy continued deteriorating, Rawlings put pressure on the government, declaring himself a guardian of the "revolution" he had initiated in June of 1979. In response, the Limann administration forced Rawlings to resign his military commission and kept the charismatic leader under close surveillance, even detaining Rawlings at one point on the grounds that he was planning another coup.

Convinced that the new civilian rulers would not be able to reverse Ghana's declining standard of living, Rawlings initiated another coup d'etat on December 31, 1981. This time he abolished the constitution, dissolved the parliament, and declared opposition parties illegal. He founded and led a Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) that would serve as the country's only political party for an indeterminate period.

The new head of state had retained his populist philosophy. His vision of the PNDC was not necessarily a military dictatorship, but rather a stable confederation of civilians and soldiers who could help to restore prosperity before once again promoting multi-party democracy. "Rawlings proclaimed that Ghanians must carry out a revolution of just rule for the common man and self-reliant development," Jon Kraus stated in Current History. "But Rawlings's populist sentiment and his formation of a civil-military Provisional National Defence Council and government elicited less support than did his three months of revolutionary 'housecleaning' in mid-1979, when the violence of Rawlings's first coup made complete the disgust of Ghanians for military rule. However, there was broad popular support for Jerry Rawlings himself, a dynamic, emotional man in his early thirties who was widely regarded as sincere and honest."

Rawlings did his best to reverse staggering inflation and drastic declines in public school enrollment. When support was not forthcoming from the Soviet Union and its satellite states, he tempered his leftist leanings and solicited aid from the West. Many of the austerity measures he initiated proved unpopular, and the PNDC found itself on the defense constantly from coup attempts and domestic unrest. This preoccupation with security led to the detention of political dissidents and the execution of more than one person convicted of conspiring to overthrow the government. Ghanian citizens outside the country brought the PNDC's tactics to the attention of Amnesty International, a human rights group, which in turn publicized the plight of political prisoners in Ghana.

Although plots or actual invasions against his government occurred every year between 1983 and 1987, Rawlings managed to hold onto power and implement the policies he thought best for his nation. While he continued to head a one-party state, he did provide for district assembly elections in 1988, allowing regional government bodies to help people solve problems on a grass-roots level. While some observers hailed this step as the first in a trend toward multi-party politics, others complained that all the assembly candidates were subsidized by--and therefore sympathetic to--the PNDC.

In 1991 Rawlings explained his political philosophy to Africa Report. Emphasizing that the PNDC was a provisional government force that would indeed one day be supplanted, he said: "A responsible provisional government should lead our nation into the future bearing in mind our past and present experiences and the prospects they provide for the future. When this is done, we can hope to develop a new order whose contents respond to the new aspirations of Ghanians.... Our action program [is] designed for the attainment of a home-grown democratic system considered relevant and appropriate for our circumstances."

Citizens began demanding a more democratic form of government as the 1990s progressed. Rawlings answered this demand by forming a National Commission for Democracy (NCD), empowered to hold regional debates and formulate some suggestions for a transition to multi-party democracy. Although opposition groups complained that the NCD was too closely associated with the PNDC, the commission continued its work through 1991. In March of that year the NCD released a report recommending the election of an executive president, the establishment of a national assembly, and the creation of a prime minister post. The PNDC accepted the report, and the following year Rawlings legalized political parties--with the provision that none could use titles that had been used before--and set a timetable for presidential elections.

When these presidential elections were held in 1992, Rawlings stood as the candidate for the National Defence Council, the successor party to the PNDC. Although his opponents were given access to television and newspaper coverage--and limits to the freedom of the press had been lifted--no single candidate could match the popularity of the sitting president. Election returns on November 3, 1992, revealed that Rawlings had won 58.3 percent of the vote, for a landslide victory. Foreign observers declared the voting to be "free and fair."

Almost immediately, the leaders of the country's opposition parties claimed that the presidential election was not fair, and that widespread abuses had occurred. The leaders encouraged their followers to boycott subsequent parliamentary elections, with the result being that NDC candidates won 189 of 200 seats in the new parliament. Rawlings was therefore accorded a four-year term backed by an elected assembly of supporters for his platform. Answering questions of polling place irregularities, he promised to initiate a new voter registration program to be completed in time for elections in 1996.

It is impossible to make a simple value judgment about the presidency of Jerry Rawlings. During his long tenure as un-elected head of state his government was accused of human rights abuses including unfair detainment and intimidation. In the early 1990s, the economy of Ghana was still not performing as well as it had in the early 1970s, and ethnic unrest was on the rise. On the other hand, the basic needs of the citizens were being met, many of them by domestic products, and the economy showed steady improvement with guidance from the International Monetary Fund. And Rawlings's reputation on foreign policy received a boost when he acted as a key figure in a mediated peace settlement between factions in nearby Liberia, a nation burdened by five years of civil war.

"President Rawlings now faces his toughest test yet--that of shedding the image of the radical military dictator and becoming a democratic constitutional ruler able to create a climate of tolerance," Ruby Ofori suggested in Africa Report. In defense of his regime, Rawlings told Africa Report: "It is difficult to be objective without seeming to be rather vain about our achievements and without going into numerous little details. But broadly speaking and allowing for the inevitable teething problems involved in instituting and testing out new systems, we can justifiably claim that among our ordinary men and women there is an increase in confidence, self-respect, and sense of responsibility, as well as a practical understanding of the basic purpose for and machinery of government.... People are no longer intimidated by ... problems, economic, social, or environmental, but are ready to tackle them."

Rawlings added: "We cannot wait apathetically without making the effort to establish our own truly democratic system backed by a sustainable economy. We know it is fragile through no fault of ours. We know that it can be casually disrupted if the supposed interests of a major power happen to conflict with ours. But we have the pride and determination to persevere."

In 2000, Rawlings named James Atta Mills as his preferred succesor and announced that he would hand over power. But Agyekum Kufuor was elected over Mills. Rawlings stated that he had no plans to return with a bloody coup, as he had done before.

Awards

Africa Prize for the Sustainable End of Hunger, awarded by the Hunger Project, 1993; honorary doctor of laws degree from Glasgow University.

Further Reading

Books

• Rake, Alan, Who's Who in Africa: Leaders for the 1990s, Scarecrow Press, 1992.

• Africa Report, July-August 1989, pp. 19-20; November-December 1989, pp. 34-7; May-June 1991, pp. 34-8; July-August 1991, pp. 21-3; July-August 1992, pp. 34-5; January-February 1993, pp. 44-6; July-August 1993, pp. 33-5; September-October 1993, pp. 70-1; May-June 1994, pp. 53-5.
• Current History, May 1987, pp. 205-08, 227.
• Essence, October 1992, pp. 90-1.
• Financial Times, January 8, 2001, p. 6.
• Herald (Glasgow, Scotland), September 9, 2000, p. 15; September 13, 2000, p. 10.
• Independent (London, England), December 30, 2000, p. 12.
• Sunday Mail (Glasgow, Scotland), December 31, 2000, p. 9.
• Time, May 27, 1985, pp. 42-3.
• Washington Times, July 15, 2001, p. 14.

— Anne Janette Johnson

The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (August 2008)

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (October 2006) (Find sources: Jerry Rawlings – news, books, scholar)

Jerry John Rawlings
President Jerry Rawlings
1st President of Ghana (4th Republic)
In office 7 January 1993 – 7 January 2001
Vice President	Kow Nkensen Arkaah (1993-1997) John Atta Mills (1997-2001)
Succeeded by	John Agyekum Kufuor
10th Head of state of Ghana
In office 31 December 1981 – 7 January 1993
Vice President	None
Preceded by	Dr. Hilla Limann
Succeeded by	John Agyekum Kufuor
8th Head of state of Ghana
In office 4 June 1979 – 24 September 1979
Preceded by	General Fred Akuffo
Succeeded by	Dr. Hilla Limann
Born	22 June 1947 (1947-06-22) (age 62) Accra, Gold Coast)
Political party	military - AFRC (1979) military - PNDC(1981-1993) National Democratic Congress 1992-present
Spouse(s)	Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings
Profession	Fighter Pilot
Religion	Roman Catholic

Jerry John Rawlings (born Jeremiah Rawlings John 22 June 1947 in Accra, Gold Coast) is a former military dictator who ruled Ghana for nearly 19 years. He has enjoyed a love affair with the West who have overlooked his many flaws because he embraced democracy in the later part of his reign. He was twice the head of state of Ghana and was the 1st President of the Fourth Republic. He first appeared on the Ghanaian political scene on 15 May 1979 when he led a group of junior officers in the Ghana Air Force in a mutiny that resulted in his arrest and imprisonment. He was court-martialled in public and sentenced to death. Due to his display of patriotism in his defense speeches, he was widely seen across the country as a true son of Ghana, and was nicknamed Junior Jesus for his initials "JJ". Before he could be executed, another group of junior officers within the Ghana Army sprung Rawlings out and demanded that he lead the 4 June uprising that had engulfed the nation. Major Boakye-Djan did not lead the young officers and ranks who broke JJ out of jail. The Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) was formed after an armed clash between government forces and those armed forces on the side of the uprising. lives were lost sadly on both sides. Before 15 May, Ghana was already far into the process of returning to civilian rule and general elections were already scheduled, however the relationship between the corrupt military government and the civilian politicians was too close. after the AFRC took over and conducted what they termed 'a housecleaning exersicee', retrieved large sums of stolen government money into government coffers, stabilised inflation, the AFRC went ahead to conduct an election and handed over power to Dr. Hilla Limann who won the popular vote in the second round of the general election in the election to establish the Third Republic. Less than two years later, Dr. Limann's civilian and constitutional government was overthrown again by Jerry Rawlings on 31 December, 1981 because the institutionalised corruption that the 4 June uprising stood up against had began again. He then installed the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) government which was a government of participatory democracy. In effect, Rawlings demystified governance in Ghana, preaching to people that they have a right to demand accountability from their leaders who are there to serve the people.

In the early 1990s internal pressures led by a group identified with the Danquah-Busia tradition coupled with external pressures from Ghana's development partners forced the PNDC government to adopt constitutional rule. Rawlings on many platforms professed his hatred for multiparty democracy nevertheless, a National Commission on Democracy was established. He retired from the Armed Forces, set up the National Democratic Congress. this party, with Rawlings as its candidate, won 58.3 % votes in the 1992 elections which the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) claimed was a stolen verdict although international observers judged the elections "largely free and fair". Rawlings won the 1996 election as well.

After two terms in office, barred by the constitution from standing in any election, he endorse his vice-president John Atta Mills as presidential candidate in 2000. the NDC with Mills as candidate however lost the elections to the NPP Kufour.

Rawlings is married to Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings and has four children: three girls and a boy. He is the joint recipient of the 1993 World Hunger Award.

Contents 1 Background 2 Military career 3 Military coup 4 Democratic President 5 Achievements as President 6 Post-Presidency Activities 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

Background

Rawlings was born to the Scottish pharmacist James Ramsay John and his Ghanaian Ewe mistress, Victoria Agbotui. His father had migrated to the then Gold Coast in 1935 with his wife Mary to work for the United Africa Company (UAC). In 1941 he started an affair with Madam Agbotui, then a caterer at the State House in Ghana. The relationship ended in 1947, the same year that Rawlings was born. James John refused to acknowledge Rawlings as his son, however before his death he left a message of apology- to his- with his scottish family.

In order not to let her son lose his Scottish heritage, his mother named him after his father as Jeremiah Rawlings John. This name was later changed to Jerry John Rawlings following a clerical error when the young Rawlings signed up at the Royal Air Force. His mother hoped for a career as a medical doctor for her son and enrolled him at the prestigious Achimota School. he completed his O level education in 1966.

He consequently enlisted as a Flight Cadet in the Ghana Air Force in August 1967, and was subsequently selected for officer cadet training at the Ghana Military Academy and Training School, Teshie, in Accra. the Ghana Flying school at the time had instructors from the RAF, as well as very qualified Ghanaian instructors.

Military career

In March, 1968, he was posted to Takoradi in the Western Region to continue his studies. He graduated in January 1969, and was commissioned a Pilot Officer, winning the coveted "Speed Bird Trophy" as the best cadet in flying and airmanship. He earned the rank of Flight Lieutenant in April 1978.

During his service with the Ghanaian Air Force, Rawlings perceived a deterioration of discipline and morale, reflecting the corruption of the Supreme Military Council (SMC) at that time. He read widely and discussed social and political ideas with a growing circle of like-minded friends and colleagues.

On 28 May 1979, Rawlings, together with six others who were arrested earlier, appeared before a General Court Martial in Accra, charged with leading a mutiny of junior officers and enlisted men of the Ghanaian Armed Forces on 15 May 1979. There was strong public reaction, especially after his statement had been read in court, explaining the social injustices that had prompted him to act^{[citation needed]}. The ranks of the Armed Forces, in particular, expressed deep sympathy with his stated aims.

Military coup

When he was scheduled for another court appearance on 4 June 1979, Rawlings was sprung from custody.^[1] With the support of both the military and civilians, he led the uprising that ousted the Supreme Military Council from office and brought the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) to power. On the night of 4 June, lives were lost on both the forces fighting against the military government and those fighting on the side of the uprising. however, the uprising, with respect to those who gave their lives defending the country, was not as bloody as critics claim it was because the majority of ranks decided not to fight each other on the orders of the top brass.

In a sad twist of irony The AFRC who came to power through a military coup, executed all the previous leaders who came to power via military coup - Ignatius Kutu Acheamphong, Akwasi Afrifa, and Fred Akuffo were executed. Five other generals—Joy Amedume, Yaw Boakye, Roger Felli, Kotei, and kotoka—were also put to death.

There was also the brutal torture and killings of Supreme Court Justices Kwadjo Agyei Akyeampong, Frederick Sarkodie, and Cecilia Koranteng Addo, as well as military officers, Major Sam Acquah, and Major Dasana Nantogmah.

The AFRC, under the chairmanship of Rawlings, carried out a much wider "house-cleaning exercise" aimed at purging the armed forces and society at large of corruption. It is worth noting that he has become one of the richest men in Ghana if not Africa.

Meanwhile, following a programme already set in motion before the June 4 uprising, the ruling [[Military government organized free general elections. On 24 September 1979, the AFRC handed over power to a civilian government led by the People's National Party (PNP), under President Hilla Limann.

Limann's administration was cut short on 31 December 1981, when Rawlings deposed him in another coup. A Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), composed of both civilian and military members, was established with Rawlings as Chairman. In his second tenure in power, Rawlings's policies became more centrist, and he began to advocate free-market reforms.

Democratic President

Citizens began demanding a more democratic form of government as the 1990s progressed. Rawlings answered this demand by forming a National Commission for Democracy (NCD), empowered to hold regional debates and formulate some suggestions for a transition to multi-party democracy. Although opposition groups complained that the NCD was too closely associated with the PNDC, the commission continued its work through 1991. In March of that year the NCD released a report recommending the election of an executive president, the establishment of a national assembly, and the creation of a prime minister post. The PNDC accepted the report, and the following year it was approved in a national referendum. Political parties were legalised—with the provision that none could use names that had been used before—and a timetable was set for presidential and parliamentary elections.

Rawlings retired from the Ghanaian Armed Forces on 14 September 1992.

When presidential elections were held in 1992, Rawlings stood as the candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the successor party to the PNDC. Although his opponents were given access to television and newspaper coverage—and limits to the freedom of the press had been lifted—no single candidate could match the popularity of the sitting head of state. Election returns on 3 November 1992 revealed that Rawlings had won 58.3 percent of the vote, for a landslide victory. Foreign observers declared the voting to be "free and fair."^[2]

Almost immediately, the leaders of the country's opposition parties claimed that the presidential election was not fair, and that widespread abuses had occurred. The leaders encouraged their followers to boycott subsequent parliamentary elections, with the result being that NDC candidates won 189 of 200 seats in the new parliament. Rawlings was therefore accorded a four-year term backed by an elected assembly of supporters for his platform. Answering questions of polling place irregularities, he promised to initiate a new voter registration program to be completed in time for elections in four years.

In 1993, President Rawlings headed the Ghana delegation which participated in the first Tokyo International Conference on African Development.^[3]

Rawlings and the NDC were elected in 1992 and 1996. Per constitutional mandate, Rawlings's term of office ended in 2001; he retired in 2001 and was succeeded by John Kufuor, his main opponent in the 1996 elections. Kufuor succeeded in defeating Rawlings's vice-president John Atta-Mills in the 2000 vote. In 2004, Mills conceded to Kufuor in spite of the alleged vote-rigging by Rawlings and other NDC officials. Foreign observers however declared the elections as free and fair. Kufuor ran for another four years with the mandate of the people of Ghana.

Flt.Lt Rawlings always had the passion to fly and while in the Air Force, he exhibited extraordinary talents. in that, he could fly the helicopter, the jet fighters, propeller planes and all other types of planes that the Ghana Air Force had at the time.

Achievements as President

Achieved political and economic stability in a region rife with conflicts (for example Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone).

Created 110 districts through non-partisan district level elections. Education, infrastructure developments and healthcare all devolved to the district level. Annual government subvention by law goes to the district — unthinkable in many other African countries. Absorbed over one million Ghanaians living in Nigeria who were expelled. Housed them at El -Wak stadium in 1983 and then moved them to their family homes. Most other economies, including even advanced ones such as Germany saw their economies suffer when they reunified with integrated citizens (for example German reunification) . Turned this crisis into a symbol of national unity.

Built first ever memorials to Kwame Nkrumah and W.E.B. DuBois.

Followed an independent foreign policy

Returned Ghana to democratic rule in 1992, after a public referendum by a wide majority approved a new constitution. Neither Nigeria, Iraq, Togo, nor Côte d'Ivoire were able to achieve this feat (in Nigeria two governments were overthrown during this period).

Passed the value added tax (VATR of 10%) to secure government revenue base, which today funds most government public expenditures.

Passed the Ghana Educational Trust Fund (GET Fund) that is today educating millions of Ghanaians.

First Ghanaian President in 20 years to be received on a state visit of the US.

Exapanded electricity to Northern parts of Ghana - hitherto ignored by ruling elites since 1957.

Both Bill Clinton and Queen Elizabeth II visited Ghana during Rawlings tenure to highlight the successes of the country.

The NDC’s agricultural policy and programme 1994-2000 resulted in the recognition of Ghana’s Food Production Index of 148% for 1995-1997 as “the third highest achievement in the record after Jordan (157%) and China (156%) in the World Bank’s “1999-2000 Development Report.”

Contributed immensely towards dispute resolution and peace keeping in several of the unstable countries in the West African sub-region and beyond.

Started the Expansion Project and the Renovation of the 37 Military Hospital.

In the urban road sector, reconstructed the entire Kumasi city roads, Sekondi-Takoradi city roads and Accra city roads. In Accra, these included the six-lane dual carriage road leading to the four-lane dual carriage road from the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange to the Independence Avenue.

Constructed the Kumasi-Sunyani asphalt road; the Kintampo-Tamale-Bolgatanga-Paga Faso asphalt road; and the double surfacing bitumen Bibiani-Awaso-Sefwi Wiawso road.

Established the University for Development Studies, and used his Hunger Award Prize Money to buy books for the University's Library.

He upgraded the Winneba Advanced Teacher Training College into a full-fledged public University of Education, Winneba, thus adding two new public Universities to the three that had existed since independence.

Introduced the policy of allowing the establishment of private tertiary institutions, including Universities, to supplement the public sector Universities. Implemented the policy of one region, one Polytechnic.

Made sure that every district had at least two senior secondary schools.

Constructed the modern regional hospitals at Cape Coast, Ho and Sunyani. Numerous modern district hospitals were constructed in the district capitals all over the country.

Potable water was provided for so many communities that at the time he was leaving office, guinea worm infestation had virtually been eradicated from Ghana.

The housing sector, the sprawling housing estates at Adenta, Sakumono, Lashibi, and on the Spintex Road all in Accra and the SSNIT Estates all over the country were constructed during His Era.

There was the smooth, historic transfer of power from the NDC to the NPP in 2001.

The creation of District Assemblies’ Common Fund, the GetFund, the Road Fund, the EDIF and the Energy Fund Ghana’s huge reputation in international peace keeping, coupled with the ability of H. E JJ Rawlings to get the illustrious son of Ghana, Kofi Annan, elected as the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Post-Presidency Activities

Rawlings later played a key role as a check on the NPP government during his time as the then erstwhile president. He has given numerous lectures in universities around the world, including a recent lecture in Oxford University titled 'Security and Democracy in Africa.'

See also

• List of Ghana Heads of state by age

References

1. ^ "Rawlings: The legacy". BBC. 1 December, 2000. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1050310.stm. Retrieved 2007-03-29. 
2. ^ National Democratic Institute: Ghana
3. ^ Japan, Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MOFA): 28 African nations

External links

• Ghana-pedia webpage - Flight Lieutenant Jeremiah John Rawlings
• Official Website
• JJ Rawlings Website
• BBC report on Rawlings legacy
• countrydata.com report from 1994

Political offices
Preceded by Fred Akuffo	Head of state of Ghana 1979	Succeeded by Hilla Limann
Preceded by Hilla Limann	Head of state of Ghana 1981–1993	Succeeded by Constitutional Rule
Preceded by Constitutional rule re-established in Ghana	President of Ghana 1993 – 2001	Succeeded by John Kufuor
Preceded by Nicéphore Soglo	Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States 1994 – 1996	Succeeded by Sani Abacha
Party political offices
New title	National Democratic Congress presidential candidate 1992, 1996	Succeeded by John Atta Mills

v • d • e      Heads of state and Prime Ministers of the Republic of Ghana      Presidents (1960-) Nkrumah • Ankrah † • Afrifa † • Ollennu* • Akufo-Addo • Acheampong † • Akuffo † • Rawlings † • Limann • Rawlings • Kufuor • Mills Prime Ministers Kwame Nkrumah (1957-60) • Kofi Abrefa Busia (1969-72) † military     * interim

Persondata
NAME	Rawlings, Jerry John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	John, Jeremiah Rawlings
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Fighter pilot and former President of Ghana
DATE OF BIRTH	June 22, 1947
PLACE OF BIRTH	Accra, Ghana
DATE OF DEATH	Living
PLACE OF DEATH

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)