Jerry John Rawlings has taken a swipe at former President John Agyekum Kufuor for instituting policies that worked against family planning during his tenure.
According to him, Mr Kufuor’s administration encouraged many Ghanaians to give birth without regard to their living conditions, a situation he said further deepened poverty and inequality among the populace.
The founder of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) also argues that the rapid population growth that the country has been experiencing is the cause of many challenges facing the country.
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“I want my people to be rich…there will never be enough when you are bringing forth uncontrollably,” he said in Ashaiman where the NDC marked the 37th anniversary of the 31st December Revolution on Monday, December 31, 2018.
On December 31, 1981, Rawlings, supported by lower-ranking soldiers, most of whom served in the Reconnaissance Regiment, seized power to cure what they said were deep-seated corruption and harsh economic situation.
Rawlings then established the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) to rule the country, dissolved parliament, and banned all political parties.
On January 21, 1982, Rawlings appointed a sixteen-member civilian government with a cabinet of secretaries and told them to “serve the people sacrificially.”
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The PNDC also assumed control of the Ministry of Defence. The Rawlings regime further consolidated its power by promulgating PNDC Law 42, which suspended the constitution and gave the government wide powers over Ghanaian citizens.
This year’s event, the 37th anniversary, is being held under the theme, “Deepening the Core Principles of Good Leadership for Political Governance”.
Listen to Mr Rawlings in the audio below.