The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) received with shock and trepidation, the sudden demise, this Thursday, of former President Jerry Rawlings after a short illness.
The Association is still reeling under anguish and griefing in disbelief that the man whom we had seen barely two weeks ago in the sober mood but in his usual charismatic demeanor, played a remarkable role at the burial and funeral of his beloved mother begone so soon.
The GJA’s heart goes out to his wife and children, the rest of the family and the entire nation for such colossal and irreplaceable loss.
Although our former Head of State and first president of our 4th Republic may not have been the best of friends of the media, during his nearly 20 years rule, he reached out to the media when he turned statesman.
The cordial relations culminated in the national executive of the Association, paying him a historic courtesy call about a year ago, as part of activities to mark the 70th anniversary of the GJA.
The Association will forever remember him, for the unique role he played in the development of Ghana.
We credit him with the development of the 1992 Constitution which has helped more than any other in our history to anchor Ghana’s democracy.
But most of all, we salute him for Chapter 12 of the 1992 Constitution which initiated freedom and Independence of the media in Ghana, on an unprecedented scale.