The National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Sunday observed what would have been the 78th birthday of its founder, the late Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, with a reflective ceremony aimed at reigniting the values he championed: probity, accountability, patriotism, punctuality, and positive defiance.
Held under the theme of introspection and renewal, the commemorative event gathered party leaders, members of the Rawlings family, and supporters to celebrate the enduring influence of Ghana’s former President.
Delivering the keynote address, NDC National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia noted that the occasion was not only to honour Rawlings’ legacy, but also to provoke a national dialogue about the principles that should define Ghana’s future.
“There is no country that has developed without national values,” Nketia stated.
“We speak of Rawlings’ legacy, but what are Ghana’s national values today? What do we stand for as a people?”
He proposed that Parliament initiate a debate to establish a national code of conduct grounded in timeless principles such as those embodied by Rawlings. This, he argued, would strengthen the civic culture by setting clear expectations for leaders and citizens alike.
Nketia also invoked Rawlings’ unwavering commitment to challenging injustice, even at personal cost, urging the next generation to embrace what he called “positive defiance.”
“Rawlings was never afraid to speak truth to power—even when the power was his own. He believed in standing for what was right, not what was easy.”
The NDC chairman also commended Rawlings’ hallmark punctuality, his advocacy for democratic rule, and his insistence on lifestyle audits for public servants.
Representing the Rawlings family, Kimathi Agyeman-Rawlings and his sister Amina expressed appreciation for the party’s continued commitment to upholding their father’s ideals.
“His courage, justice, and dedication to ordinary Ghanaians are immortalised in the directive principles of state policy,” Kimathi said. He further noted that Rawlings’ vision for grassroots empowerment materialised in the creation of Ghana’s Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies.
General Secretary of the NDC, Fiifi Kwetey, paid a passionate tribute to the late leader, describing him as a figure of divine destiny.
“Rawlings always believed in the sovereignty of the human spirit,” Kwetey remarked. “He was a man born to reset Ghana. That prophecy, first spoken in 1972, was fulfilled through him.”
He encouraged party members to rekindle the national consciousness Rawlings once stirred, by recommitting to those foundational values.
The ceremony featured moving tributes from notable party stalwarts, including former Chief of Staff Nana Ato Dadzie, Naval Captain Asaasie Gyimah, Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, Dr. Christine Amoako-Nuamah, Madam Akua Sena Dansua, and Chief Bawumia of the NDC Council of Elders.
As the NDC prepares for the next political chapter, the commemorative event served as both a remembrance of Rawlings’ complex legacy and a call to action to restore ethical leadership and civic responsibility in Ghana’s democratic journey.
