Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has emphasized the need of Ghanaians remembering and commemorating the June 4 Uprising on a yearly basis.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Korle Klottey said June 4 was a significant date in Ghana's history that should be commemorated by all citizens, regardless of party affiliations, since it represented a turning point in the country's political landscape.
She said this in an interview with the media on the sidelines of the Jerry John Rawlings Foundation's picture exhibition and theater performance commemorating the 43rd anniversary of the June 4 Uprising in Accra.
"Recounting Our History Through The Creative Arts" was the topic of the event. On June 4, 1979, the Armed Forces Revolution Council (AFRC), led by Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, overthrew General Fred Akuffo's administration and took political control.
According to the AFRC, the uprising was sparked by corruption, weak government, and public dissatisfaction.
Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings, the first child of late former President Rawlings, justified the uprising's importance by claiming that Ghana's remarkable democratic credentials were no accident.
She stated that the current Republic's accomplishments may be due in large part to the excellent foundation set by the leaders who launched the June 4 Uprising, and that Ghanaians should not dismiss the significance of the day.
She went on to say that commemorating the day will help the younger generation understand Rawlings and the individuals he worked with, as well as what they did throughout the period that led to the formation of the fourth republic.
"So, if we are honoring the longest republic in our history today, we must understand and respect all of the factors that lead us to this place, as well as recognize all of those who helped us get there." It wasn't a coincidence.
"If Ghana has become an oasis in a sub-region where many West African nations have had coups d'états, yet Ghana still maintains an enduring republic, we must acknowledge that someone accomplished something good for us."
"Democracy does not happen by accident, and having a constitutional rule does not happen by accident," she explained.
She asked the government to close the gap between itself and ordinary Ghanaians, cut corruption, and follow history's lead.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr Fritz Baffour, a former MP for Ablekuma South and a key member of the NDC, said June 4 was vital to offer comfort to common Ghanaians.
"June 4 is about probity, accountability, and social fairness," he stated, adding that the country was "falling down a particular road, and a corrective action was taken."
And we had to repeat that corrective action so many times, and we had to make June 4 the hallmark of those corrective measures.
"That is why, as long as our country exists as a nation, we should always honor June 4."
He believes that the government should recognize that it exists to serve the people and that the wellbeing of ordinary Ghanaians should be a top priority.
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