Jerry Rawlings (Fighter Pilot) - Pics, Videos, Dating, & News Jerry Rawlings Fighter Pilot and Former Politician Male Born Jun 22, 1947 Jerry John Rawlings is a former leader of the Republic of Ghana and the current African Union envoy to Somalia. Rawlings ruled Ghana as a military Leader in 1979 and from 1981 to 1992, and then as the first elected president of the Fourth Republic from 1993 to 2001.… Read More related links Growing Democracy: Lessons From Ghana Huffington Post - Oct 30, 2013 'Co-authored by Katie Smith Milway, writer on sustainable development. Ghana\'s road to democracy has been paved by investments in pro-business policies and access to microcredit, which has helped to build a generation of business owners and broaden the middle class. \nAt a time when several African nations (Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, to name three) are struggling in the transition from dictatorship to democracy, they have much to learn by looking south to another African neighbor, Ghana. ...

Leaders Mourn Death Of Ghana's Bastion Of Democracy Huffington Post - Aug 10, 2012 '\n ACCRA, Ghana â World leaders joined thousands of Ghanaians on Friday for the funeral of President John Atta Mills, who came to symbolize Ghana\'s maturing democracy in a region long plagued by coups and disputed votes. \n\n Atta Mills, 68, came to power in 2009 after winning the closest election in the country\'s history. The peaceful transition of leadership after that vote was lauded as was the swift and orderly inauguration of the country\'s vice president last month following ... Dotsonville Community News August 29th, 2011 Clarksville Leaf Chronicle Google News - Aug 29, 2011 'Ed (Rawhide) Rawlings is served the first banana split by his wife Aline at the annual Dotsonville Community ice cream social, while <mark>Jerry Rawlings</mark> look on.

/ Jenni Comley Combining the annual back-to-school ice cream party with a yard sale Saturday' African Leaders Hold Delayed Fundraiser For Famine Voice Of America (Blog) Google News - Aug 25, 2011 'Former Ghanaian president <mark>Jerry Rawlings</mark>, who is the AU envoy to Somalia, is also present. As many as a dozen African leaders were expected for a meeting that was initially scheduled for early August. It was postponed due to what officials said were ...&nbsp;-&nbsp;-' Learn about the memorable moments in the evolution of Jerry Rawlings. CHILDHOOD 1947 Birth Jerry John Rawlings was born in Accra, Gold Coast, on 22 June 1947, to Victoria Agbotui (born 9 September 1919 in Dzelukope near Keta in what is now the Volta Region of Ghana), and James Ramsey John, a chemist from the United Kingdom, born in Castle Douglas, Scotland, in 1907. … Read More Rawlings attended Achimota School.<br /><br /> Rawlings is married to Nana Konadu Agyeman.

He has three daughters: Ezanetor Rawlings, Yaa Asantewaa Rawlings, Amina Rawlings; and one son, Kimathi Rawlings. Read Less TWENTIES 1968 21 Years Old In March, 1968, he was posted to Takoradi in the Western Region to continue his studies. 1969 22 Years Old He graduated in January 1969, and was commissioned a Pilot Officer, winning the coveted "Speed Bird Trophy" as the best cadet in flying the Su-7 ground attack supersonic jet aircraft. … Read More He earned the rank of Flight Lieutenant (Flt. Lt.) 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. As promotion brought him into contact with the privileged classes and their social values, his view of the injustices in society hardened. He was thus regarded with some unease by the SMC. He read widely and discussed social and political ideas with a growing circle of like-minded friends and colleagues.

Read Less THIRTIES Show Less In May 1979, Rawlings, together with six other soldiers were arrested, by the Ghanaian Military for a mutiny labelled as a coup attempt (because the military were in power at the time) on the government of General Fred Akuffo, and Rawlings appeared before a General Court Martial, charged with leading a squad of soldiers on 15 May 1979. While awaiting his execution, Rawlings was sprung from custody on 4 June 1979 by a group of soldiers. … Read More He led the insurgent that ousted the Supreme Military Council from office with Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC). On the night of 4 June, lives were lost in both the forces fighting against the military government and those fighting on the side of the insurgency. As one of his first acts in power, Rawlings signed the orders for the execution of a former military president of Ghana who was later executed: Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, and Air Vice-Marshal Yaw Boakye. Four other generalsâKotei, Joy Amedume, Roger Felli, and Utukaâwere also put to death.

Rawlings has never denied responsibility for this.<br /><br /> The Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), under the Military Marshal of Rawlings, carried out, what Rawlings described as a much wider "house-cleaning exercise". Meanwhile, following a programme already set in motion before the 4 June insurgency. On 24 September 1979, the AFRC military allowed the governing of the People's National Party (PNP) under Hilla Limann. Read Less 1981 34 Years Old Limann's administration was cut short on 31 December 1981, when Rawlings deposed him in another coup. … Read More The Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), composed of both civilian and soldiers, was established with Rawlings as the Chairman. The PNDC, led by Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings began the process of what Rawlings said to be a decentralisation.<br /><br /> Immediately following the overthrow of the Gen. Akufo government, Rawlings and his men embarked on what was termed "house-cleaning". They immediately tried and executed General Akufo, Gen. I. K.Acheampong, and Gen.

Afrifa, all former heads of state, who had participated in earlier treasonable coups against former Presidents like Nkrumah. Air Vice Marshal Yaw Boakye, General Utuka, Amedume, Feli and Kotei were also executed for their roles in undermining the image of the military through corrupt acts.<br /><br /> The killings of the Supreme Court justices (Cecilia Koranteng Addo, Frederick Sarkodie, and Kwadjo Agyei Agyepong), military officers Major Sam Acquah and Major Dasana Nantogmah and the killings and disappearance of over 300 other Ghanaians occurred at this time in Ghana's history. Read Less FORTIES Show Less He was re-elected in 1996 for a further four years. … Read More He currently serves as the African Union envoy to Somalia.<br /><br /> Rawlings attempted a coup d'Ã©tat on 15 May 1979, leading a group of military personnel in a coup attempt on General Fred Akuffo which resulted in him being arrested, imprisoned and facing a death sentence.

However, a speech he gave during his trial resonated with a large section of the public that rose up in his defence. Consequently, on 4 June, soldiers sympathetic to his motivations broke him out of jail, and he led a revolt of both the military and civilians which overthrew General Akuffo and the Supreme Military Council, effectively leaving him in charge. Rawlings and the soldiers around him formed the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and conducted what it termed "a housecleaning exercise", whose aim was to purge Ghanaian society of all the corruption and social injustices that they perceived to be at the root of their coup d'Ã©tat. Read Less … The AFRC organized an election and it was won by Hilla Limann of the People's National Party (PNP). On 31 December 1981 Rawlings and together with some soldiers and civilians took advantage of new year festivities organized by Limann and overthrew the Limann government, citing economic mismanagement. Rawlings then installed the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) with himself as the Chairman. <br /><br />In 1992, Rawlings retired from the military and set up the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

He legalized political parties and organized Presidential and Parliamentary elections, in response to demands for a more democratic process concerning the governing of the country. Rawlings and his party won with 58.3 percent of the vote, with outside observers declaring the voting to be "free and fair". Read Less In 1996, Rawlings went on to win a second term as President. FIFTIES Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings (J.J.) | Who's Who Profile | Africa Confidential Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings (J.J.) Date of Birth: 22/06/1947 Place of Birth: Accra, Gold Coast Displaying 71-80 out of 141 results. It was vintage Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings... Vol 43 No 16 | Don't praise the lord 9th August 2002 There are parallels with Ghana, where few believed Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings, the military leader turned civilian president, would go quietly after two decades in power...

Vol 43 No 15 | I'm Sam, fly me 26th July 2002 Taking over in early 2001, Jonah had to be seen to abandon the strategy followed by former Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Quartey, who was appointed under President Jerry Rawlings... Vol 43 No 13 | Of rice and rings 28th June 2002 An interesting footnote to tales of corruption during the reign of President Jerry Rawlings is offered by the case of Juliet Cotton, convicted on 17 June by a federal jury in Atlanta, United States, of colluding with members of Rawlings's government to dupe Ghana of over US$20 million (AC Vol 42 No 8)... Vol 43 No 8 | Murder in Yendi 19th April 2002 He has strong links to the Abdulai family and is an old enemy of ex-President Jerry John Rawlings...

Vol 43 No 7 | Grabbing at growth 5th April 2002 Yet it sends two powerful signals to President John Agyekum Kufuor's government: it must re-think its security system, which may be more liberal but is also sloppier than that of Kufuor's martial predecessor, Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings... Vol 43 No 1 | Busy Presidents 11th January 2002 Kufuor's New Patriotic Party still keeps a wary eye on former leader Jerry Rawlings, who finds life out of power too difficult... Vol 42 No 25 | No shine on gold 21st December 2001 Jerry John Rawlings, the outgoing President, paid lip-service to the private sector during his 19-year rule but bequeathed a bad hand to Kufuor... However, as cases drag on through the courts, bad policies are being blamed as widely as corruption for the economic collapse under Jerry Rawlings...

Vol 42 No 25 | Going private against the grain 21st December 2001 Apart from pacifying the activists, Kufuor needs to show that his government will not use the sell-off as a source of political patronage and party funding - the sins of which Jerry Rawlings and his party stand accused... Vol 42 No 21 | Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings (J.J.) | Who's Who Profile | Africa Confidential Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings (J.J.) Date of Birth: 22/06/1947 Place of Birth: Accra, Gold Coast Displaying 31-40 out of 141 results. Lining up the Mills team 6th February 2009 Yet, despite concern about the influence of ex-President Jerry John Rawlings, founder of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), the new President's appointments suggest a firm grip on the economy and the desire to manage the government's day-to-day business... Vol 50 No 3 | Is Rawlings the back-seat driver?

6th February 2009 The doings and sayings of former President Jerry John Rawlings always fascinate the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) as well as journalists... Vol 50 No 2 | Back to the battleground 23rd January 2009 Aryitey was the Treasurer of the 31st December Women's Movement run by Nana Rawlings, wife of former President Jerry John Rawlings; both Aryitey and Nana Rawlings faced charges of embezzlement under the NPP government, although the case was abandoned shortly before Kufuor left office... Vol 50 No 1 | Mills’s victory signals the return of ex-President Jerry John Rawlings... Vol 2 (AAC) No 9 | MTN, militants and share claims 31st July 2009 At the centre of the legal row in Ghana is Richmond Nana Aggrey, a pioneering Ghanaian telecoms entrepreneur and chief in the Central Region who was regarded as a political opponent by former President Jerry John Rawlings...

Vol 2 (AAC) No 8 | As sweet as chocolate 26th June 2009 The other consultancy is Zuloga, founded by Jeannine Ollo-Servat, which is creating a culture and art space in Beijing but failed to attract its desired keynote speaker, Ghana's former military ruler and President Jerry John Rawlings, to its inaugural galas in April... Vol 49 No 19 | A rough beginning 19th September 2008 The battle for Tamale Nearby Tamale, the biggest city in northern Ghana and the ‘Gateway to the Sahel’, has been a particularly tense battleground for the main parties since the NPP lost the last of the city’s three seats to Inusah Fuseini, a member of the personal legal team of Jerry John Rawlings, the former President and NDC founder... Jerry Rawlings raised the stakes by blaming senior figures in the NPP for the Ya Na’s gruesome murder, and for failing to find and prosecute the culprits...

Vol 49 No 19 | Running mates 19th September 2008 His father, the late Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, was a founding member of the United Party from which the NPP was eventually created, but accepted an appointment by Jerry Rawlings’ government to become a member of the Council of State... Vol 49 No 16 | Presidents and lawyers 1st August 2008 Even his opponents concede that Tsatsu Tsikata is a gifted lawyer, whose ties with ex-President Jerry John Rawlings have kept him at the centre of Ghana's bitter political battles... Vol 49 No 10 | ExecutedToday.com » jerry rawlings 2 comments June 16th, 2010 Headsman On this date in 1979, former Ghanaian military strongman Ignatius Kutu Acheampong was shot in the aftermath of Jerry Rawlings’ successful coup d’etat.

Acheampong had executed a coup of his own in 1972 and run the unsteady West African state for most of the 1970s — a period of economic and political crisis — until he himself was toppled by another General, Fred Akuffo . Acheampong was retired to his home village by the new regime, but he would not enjoy such satisfactory treatment when a national revolution ended Akuffo’s reign and brought junior officer Jerry Rawlings to power. Less than two weeks after Rawlings was installed as Ghana’s new head of state, Acheampong was executed on a charge of corruption. This would not sate the considerable popular anger at the outgoing military clique, which went on to gorge itself on Akuffo and five others later that same month. Former NFL defensive back Charlie Peprah is Acheampong’s grandson. On this day..

A Brief History of Ghana Since Independence Date of Independence: March 6,1957 Formerly: the Gold Coast, a British colony Flag: the three colors (red, green, and black)and the black star in the middle are all symbolic of the pan-Africanist movement, which was a key theme in the early history of Ghana's independence About Ghana: Information on Travel Summary of Ghana's history: Much was expected and hoped for from Ghana at independence, but like all new countries during the Cold War, Ghana faced immense challenges. Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah, was ousted nine years after independence, and for the next twenty-five years, Ghana was typically governed by military rulers, with varying economic impacts. The country returned to stable democratic rule in 1992, however, and has built a reputation as a stable, liberal economy. Government officials carry Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah on their shoulders after Ghana obtains its independence from Great Britain. Bettman/Getty Images Independence: Pan-Africanist Optimism Ghana’s independence from Britain in 1957 was widely celebrated in the African diaspora.

African-Americans, including Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X visited Ghana, and many Africans still struggling for their own independence looked on it as a beacon of the future to come. Within Ghana, people believed they would finally benefit from the wealth generated by the country's cocoa farming and gold mining industries. Much was also expected of Kwame Nkrumah, the charismatic first President of Ghana. He was an experienced politician. He had led the Convention People's Party during the push for independence and served as Prime Minister of the colony from 1954 to 1956, as Britain eased toward independence. He was also an ardent pan-Africanist, and helped found the Organization of African Unity . 17 December 1963: Protesters against the government of Kwame Nkrumah outside the offices of the Ghana High Commission in London. Reg Lancaster/Express/Getty Images Nkrumah's Single Party State Initially, Nkrumah rode a wave of support in Ghana and the world. Ghana, however, faced all the same, daunting challenges of Independence that would soon be felt across Africa. Among these was its economic dependence on the West.

Nkrumah tried to free Ghana from this dependence by building the Akosambo Dam on the Volta River, but the project put Ghana deeply in debt and created intense opposition. His own party worried the project would increase Ghana's dependence rather than lesson it, and the project also forced the relocation of some 80,000 people. Additionally, to help pay for the dam, Nkrumah raised taxes, including on cocoa farmers, and this exacerbated tensions between him and the influential farmers. Like many new African states, Ghana also suffered from regional factionalism, and Nkrumah saw the wealthy farmers, who were regionally concentrated, as a threat to social unity. In 1964, faced with growing resentment and afraid of internal opposition, Nkrumah pushed a constitutional amendment that made Ghana a one party state, and himself the life president. The desolation of lost power, a shattered statue of Kwame Nkrumah, with a forlorn arm pointed skyward in Ghana, 3/2/1966.

Express/Archive Photos/Getty Images 1966 Coup: Nkrumah Toppled As opposition grew, people also complained that Nkrumah was spending too much time building networks and connections abroad and too little time paying attention to his own people's needs. ​On 24 February 1966, while Kwame Nkrumah was in China, a group of officers led a coup, overthrowing Nkrumah. (He found refuge in Guinea, where fellow pan-Africanist Ahmed Sékou Touré made him honorary co-President). The military-police National Liberation Council that took over after the coup promised elections, and after a constitution was drafted for the Second Republic, elections were held in 1969. Ghana's Debt Conference in London, 7 July 1970. From left to right, John Kufuor, Ghanaian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Peter Kerr, Marquess of Lothian, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and chairman of the conference, J. H. Mensah, Ghanaian Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, and James Bottomley, deputy to Lord Lothian.

Mike Lawn/Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Troubled Economy: the Second Republic and Acheampong Years (1969-1978) The Progress Party, headed by Kofi Abrefa Busia, won the 1969 elections. Busia became the Prime Minister, and a Chief Justice, Edward Akufo-Addo became the President. Once again people were optimistic and believed the new government would handle Ghana's problems better than Nkrumah's had. Ghana still had high debts, though, and servicing the interest was crippling the country's economy. Cocoa prices were also slumping, and Ghana's share of the market had declined. In an attempt to right the boat, Busia implemented austerity measures and devalued the currency, but these moves were deeply unpopular. On 13 January 1972, Lieutenant Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong successfully overthrew the government. Acheampong rolled back many of the austerity measures, which benefited many people in the short term, but the economy worsened in the long term.

Ghana's economy had negative growth, meaning the gross domestic product declined, throughout the 1970s as it had in the late 1960s. Inflation ran rampant. Between 1976 and 1981, the inflation rate averaged around 50%. In 1981, it was 116%. For most Ghanaian, the basic necessities of life were getting harder and harder to obtain, and minor luxuries were out of reach. Amidst rising discontent, Acheampong and his staff proposed a Union Government, which was to be a government ruled by the military and civilians. The alternative to the Union Government was continued military rule. Perhaps it is unsurprising, then, that the contentious Union Government proposal passed in a 1978 national referendum. In the lead up to the Union Government elections, Acheampong was replaced by Lieutenant General F. W. K. Affufo and restrictions on political opposition were lessened. Jerry Rawlings Addressing a Crowd, 1981.

Bettmann / Getty Images The Rise of Jerry Rawling As the country prepared for elections in 1979, Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings and several other junior officers launched a coup. They weren't successful at first, but another group of officers broke them out of jail. Rawlings made a second, successful coup attempt and overthrew the government. The reason Rawlings and the other officers gave for taking power just weeks before national elections was that the new Union Government would be no more stable or effective than previous governments. They were not stopping the elections themselves, but they did execute several members of the military government, including the former leader, General Acheampong, who had already been unseated by Affufo. They also purged the higher ranks of the military. After the elections, the new president, Dr. Hilla Limann, forced Rawlings and his co-officers into retirement, but when the government was unable to fix the economy and corruption continued, Rawlings launched a second coup. On December 31, 1981 he, several other officers, and some civilians seized power again. Rawlings remained Ghana's head of state for the next twenty years.

A billboard with election posters for President Jerry Rawlings of the National Democratic Congress party on a street in Accra, Ghana ahead of the December 1996 Presidential election. Jonathan C. Katzenellenbogen/Getty Images Jerry Rawling's Era (1981-2001) Rawlings and six other men formed a Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC) with Rawlings as the chair. The "revolution" Rawlings led had Socialist leanings, but it was also a populist movement. The Council set up local Provisional Defense Committees (PDC) throughout the country. These committees were supposed to create democratic processes at the local level. They were tasked with overseeing the work of administrators and ensuring the decentralization of power. In 1984, the PDCs were replaced by Committees for the Defense of the Revolution. When push came to shove, however, Rawlings and the PNDC balked at decentralizing too much power. Rawlings' populist touch and charisma won over crowds, and initially he enjoyed support.

There was opposition from the beginning, though, and just a few months after the PNDC came to power, they executed several members of an alleged plot to overthrow the government.The harsh treatment of dissidents is one of the primary criticisms made of Rawlings, and there was little freedom of the press in Ghana during this time. As Rawlings moved away from his socialist colleagues he gained enormous financial support from Western governments for Ghana. This support was also based on Rawlings' willingness to enact austerity measures, which showed how far the "revolution" had moved from its roots. Eventually, his economic policies brought improvements, and he is credited with having helped save Ghana's economy from collapse. In the late 1980s, the PNDC, facing international and internal pressures, began exploring a shift toward democracy. In 1992, a referendum for returning to democracy passed, and political parties were permitted again in Ghana. In late 1992, elections were held. Rawlings ran for the National Democratic Congress party and won the elections. He was thus the first President of Ghana's Fourth Republic. The opposition had boycotted the elections, though, which undercut the triumph.

The 1996 elections that followed, however, were deemed free and fair, and Rawlings won those as well. The shift to democracy led to further aid from the West and Ghana's economic recovery continued to gain steam in the 8 years of Rawlings' presidential rule. PriceWaterhouseCooper and ENI buildings, Accra, Ghana. Self-published work by jbdodane (originally posted to Flickr as 20130914-DSC_2133 ), CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Ghana's Democracy and Economy Today In 2000, the true test of Ghana's fourth republic came. Rawlings was prohibited by term limits from running for President a third time, and it was the opposition party's candidate, John Kufour, who won the Presidential elections. Kufour had run and lost to Rawlings in 1996, and the orderly transition between parties was an important sign of the political stability of Ghana's new republic. Kufour focused much of his presidency on continuing to develop Ghana's economy and international reputation. He was reelected in 2004.

In 2008, John Atta Mills, Rawlings' former Vice-President who had lost to Kufour in the 2000 elections, won the election and became Ghana's next president. He died in office in 2012, and was temporarily replaced by his Vice-President, John Dramani Mahama, who won the subsequent elections called for by the constiution. Amidst the political stability, however, Ghana's economy has stagnated. In 2007, new oil reserves were discovered, adding to Ghana's wealth in resources, but these have not yet brought a boost to Ghana's economy. The oil discovery has also increased Ghana's economic vulnerability, and the 2015 crash in oil prices decreased revenues. Despite Nkrumah's efforts to secure Ghana's energy independence through the Akosambo Dam, electricity remains one of Ghana's hurdles more than fifty years later. Ghana's economic outlook may be mixed,but analysts remain hopeful, pointing to the stability and strength of Ghana's democracy and society. Ghana is a member of ECOWAS, the African Union, the Commonwealth, and the World Trade Organization. Sources CIA, " Ghana ," The World Factbook.

(Accessed 13 March 2016). Library of Congress, " Ghana-Historical Background ," Country Studies, (Accessed 15 March 2016). Ghana History Tribes and Collectivism Overview The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. The name Ghana comes from the medieval Ghana Empire of West Africa. The actual name of the Empire was Wagadugu, and Ghana was the title of the kings who ruled there. Ghana was also the site of the Empire of the Ashanti, which was the most advanced black state in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ghana used to be called the Gold Coast. The Portuguese, who inhabited Ghana in the 15th century, found so much gold between the Ankobra and Volta rivers that they named the area Mina—meaning "mine." The first contact between the Ghanaian people (the Fantes on the coast) and the Europeans occurred in 1482. The Portuguese landed first at Elmina, a coastal city inhabited by the Fanti nation-state. Over the next few centuries pieces of the area were controlled by the British, Portuguese, and Scandinavian powers, with the British ultimately prevailing.

In 1957 Ghana became the first democratic Sub-Saharan country in Colonial Africa to gain its independence. Over the next 50 years Ghana would go through various changes in its politics. Back to Top Presidential History The first president Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown by a supported CIA coup in 1966. A series of political coups followed and placed and removed many people from power over the next 15 years. Finally, in 1981 Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings came into power. During his time in power, Ghana suspended its constitution and banned political parties. Later a new constitution was presented restoring multi-party politics in 1992, and Rawlings was elected as President for his second term in 1996. In 2001, John Kufuor took over as President of Ghana and is currently serving his second consecutive term. The current Ghanaian constitution is modeled after the United States' and other powerful democratic nations, and restricts its president to two consecutive terms. Therefore, Ghana is gearing up for another presidential election in 2008.

With the vast improvements to its political structure, Ghana has shown to be one of the most influential countries in forging the path for a democracy in Africa. Back to Top Religious History Religion in Africa is multifaceted. Most Africans adhere to the Christian or Islamic faiths. Religion in Ghana is widely spread with 69% of inhabitants following Christianity, 15.6% following the Islamic faith, 8.5% of Ghanaians are traditionalists and 6.9% follow a different religious belief. Although Christianity and Islam are the dominant faiths in Ghana, the people of the nation have adapted each religion to African cultural contexts by incorporating elements of the indigenous belief systems to be suit themselves. The incorporation of traditional African elements of religion proves the connection many Ghanaians continue to have with their roots. For more on religion in Ghana, see our " Religion " page. Back to Top Tribes and Collectivism In addition, Ghanaians are characterized as very communal, looking to help others in their community and also throughout the country. They help each other with inter-and intra-tribal trade, which accounts for much of the success of Ghana.

Ghana consists of five major ethnic groups: The Akan, Ewe, Mole-Dagbane,Guan, and Ga-Adangbe. Within each major ethnic group there are various sub-cultures. These sub-cultures of each group share a common cultural heritage, history, language, and origin. The emphasis of culture in Ghana and its importance can be seen through their many community activities. Whether it be attending a funeral of a member of the community or crafting, fishing, or hunting for the betterment of the community's economy. The people of Ghana have a rich history filled with many trials and tribulations, and as a powerful African nation today they are celebrating their many accomplishments. For more on collectivism and a closer look on the overall dynamics of Ghanaian culture, see our " Ghanaian Typologies " page. Jerry J. Rawlings | head of state, Ghana | Britannica.com Jerry J. Rawlings Alternative Title: Jerry John Rawlings Jerry J. Rawlings Saddam Hussein Jerry J.

Rawlings, in full Jerry John Rawlings (born June 22, 1947, Accra , Ghana), military and political leader in Ghana who twice (1979, 1981) overthrew the government and seized power. His second period of rule (1981–2001) afforded Ghana political stability and competent economic management. Ghanian Pres. Jerry J. Rawlings addressing the United Nations Millennium Summit, Sept. 7, 2000. Tom Mihalek—AFP/Getty Images Rawlings was the son of a Scottish father and a Ghanaian mother. He was educated at Achimoto College and the military academy at Teshie. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Ghanaian air force in 1969 and became a flight lieutenant and expert pilot, skilled in aerobatics. In June 1979 Rawlings and other junior officers led a successful military coup with the purported aim of purging the military and public life of widespread corruption. He and his Armed Forces Revolutionary Council ruled for 112 days, during which time the former heads of state , Gen. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong and Lieut. Gen.

Frederick W.K. Akuffo , were tried and executed. Rawlings then yielded power to a freely elected civilian president , Hilla Limann , who promptly retired Rawlings from the air force. Rawlings continued to be a popular figure, however, and on Dec. 31, 1981 , after two years of weak civilian rule during which Ghana’s economy continued to deteriorate, Rawlings overthrew Limann’s government, accusing it of leading the nation “down to total economic ruin.” Rawlings established a Provisional National Defense Council as the new government and imprisoned Limann and some 200 other politicians. “Peoples’ Defense Committees” were set up in neighbourhoods, as were workers’ councils to monitor production in factories. When the failure of these and other populist measures had become clear by 1983, Rawlings reversed course and adopted conservative economic policies, including dropping subsidies and price controls in order to reduce inflation, privatizing many state-owned companies, and devaluing the currency in order to stimulate exports. These free-market measures sharply revived Ghana’s economy, which by the early 1990s had one of the highest growth rates in Africa.

In 1992, in the first presidential elections held in Ghana since 1979, Rawlings was chosen as president. He was reelected in 1996 and stepped down from the presidency in early 2001. On Dec. 31, 1981, Jerry Rawlings overthrew Ghana’s government for a second time. Stock footage courtesy The WPA Film Library Learn More in these related articles: Biography of the Former President of the Republic of Ghana, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings About His Excellency His Excellency the Former President of Ghana, Flt Lt (rtd) Jerry John Rawlings was born on the June 22nd, 1947 in Accra and was twice the head of state of Ghana. His first political appearance on the Ghanaian scene was on May 15, 1979 when an unsuccessful coup d'ï¿½tat he led resulted in his arrest, imprisonment, and a death sentence.

But before he could be executed, his friends in the Ghana military led by Junior Officers and the ranks overthrew the then military government of General Fred Akuffo in a coup on June 4, 1979. The Junior Officers and the ranks set Rawlings free from prison, and installed him as head of the new government - the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC).The AFRC handed over power to Dr. Hilla Limann who won the popular vote 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 December 31, 1981. He then installed the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) regime. After two terms in office, barred by the constitution from standing in any election, he anointed his vice-president John Atta-Mills as his choice to replace him as President. Ghanaians rejected his choice in the 2000 election by voting for the opposition NPP's candidate, John Kufuor.

He is a product of Achimota School, and 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. 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 (Flt. Lt.) 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. As promotion brought him into contact with the privileged classes and their social values, his view of the injustices in society hardened. He was thus regarded with some unease by the SMC. He read widely and discussed social and political ideas with a growing circle of like-minded friends and colleagues.

On May 28, 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 May 15, 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. 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. With the support of both the military and civilians, he led a coup that ousted the Supreme Military Council from office and brought the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) to power.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 and graft as well as restoring a sense of moral responsibility and accountability in public life.

On 24th September 1979, the AFRC handed over power to a civilian government led by the People's National Party (PNP), under President Hilla Limann.On 31st December 1981, 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' policies became more centrist, and he began to advocate free-market reforms. However, despite the country's economic success, the Ghanaian government was criticized both at home and abroad for committing numerous abuses of human rights.In the early 1990s, the economy of Ghana was still not performing as well as it had in the early 1970s, 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. 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.

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 Rawlings legalized political parties--with the provision that none could use names 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 Democratic Congress (NDC), the successor party to the PNDC. Although his opponents were given access to television and newspaper coverage and 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 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. The Jerry Rawlings story - YouTube The Jerry Rawlings story Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Nov 30, 2015 Jerry J.

Rawlings, in full Jerry John Rawlings (born June 22, 1947, Accra, Ghana), military and political leader in Ghana who twice (1979, 1981) overthrew the government and seized power. His second period of rule (1981–2001) afforded Ghana political stability and competent economic management. Rawlings was the son of a Scottish father and a Ghanaian mother. He was educated at Achimoto College and the military academy at Teshie. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Ghanaian air force in 1969 and became a flight lieutenant and expert pilot, skilled in aerobatics. In June 1979 Rawlings and other junior officers led a successful military coup with the purported aim of purging the military and public life of widespread corruption. He and his Armed Forces Revolutionary Council ruled for 112 days, during which time the former heads of state, Gen. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong and Lieut. Gen. Frederick W.K. Akuffo, were tried and executed.

Rawlings then yielded power to a freely elected civilian president, Hilla Limann, who promptly retired Rawlings from the air force. 1981, Coup of [Credit: Stock footage courtesy The WPA Film Library]Rawlings continued to be a popular figure, however, and on Dec. 31, 1981, after two years of weak civilian rule during which Ghana’s economy continued to deteriorate, Rawlings overthrew Limann’s government, accusing it of leading the nation “down to total economic ruin.” Rawlings established a Provisional National Defense Council as the new government and imprisoned Limann and some 200 other politicians. “Peoples’ Defense Committees” were set up in neighbourhoods, as were workers’ councils to monitor production in factories. When the failure of these and other populist measures had become clear by 1983, Rawlings reversed course and adopted conservative economic policies, including dropping subsidies and price controls in order to reduce inflation, privatizing many state-owned companies, and devaluing the currency in order to stimulate exports. These free-market measures sharply revived Ghana’s economy, which by the early 1990s had one of the highest growth rates in Africa.

In 1992, in the first presidential elections held in Ghana since 1979, Rawlings was chosen as president. He was reelected in 1996 and stepped down from the presidency in early 2001. Category

Question: Flight-lieutenant Jerry Rawlings ruled which African country from 1981-2001?
Answer: GHANA