The former Ghanaian leader, John Jerry Rawlings
Former President Jerry John Rawlings last Friday urged
the Police Administration to equip its men to enable them to perform their
roles effectively.
Speaking during the commemoration of the Independence Day
celebration in Sogakope, he urged the people and the security agencies to be
vigilant to prevent violent and criminal attacks.
He was in the Sogakope District to show solidarity with the
people of the area following the recent spate of violent attacks, which
culminated in the death of the assembly member of the area, Marcus Mawutor
Azahli.
The former President said he should have been in Kumasi for
the national parade, but excused himself to “join you here to express my
condolences and sympathies to all that has happened over the last month."
Correct information
He said he was hopeful that correct information would be
forthcoming to ensure that those responsible for the savagery were dealt with.
“I think some of these things happen because of some of the
killings that have been going on in this country, and especially in this area, are not being dealt with appropriately, so people feel they can do things like
that with impunity and get away with it, knowing they will not pay the price
with their lives as well,” he said.
Describing the parade as one of the most impressive he had
witnessed since he started observing the annual district event, former
President Rawlings expressed his admiration for the energy on the ground and
urged the people to preserve and use it for the benefit of the area, the region, and the country.
He also advised students and the youth to desist from the
illicit use of drugs such as tramadol, urging them to appreciate the pain their
parents endured raising resources to educate them.
He said they needed to study hard to achieve
the highest academic qualifications to enable them to contribute their quota to
the development of the community.
President Rawlings also cautioned okada riders and other
commercial drivers to desist from drink driving, as that had been responsible
for increasing reports of motor crashes in the area.
“If you are an okada rider or a driver and you want to go
and die, go and die, but do not take along people on your bike or in your
vehicle and drive irresponsibly or drunk or tired and kill people,” he warned.
Ramps
Ramps
On the erection of speed ramps within the South Tongu area,
former President Rawlings described most of the ramps as ‘obstacles’ that
weakened vehicle shock absorbers and springs, leading to preventable road
accidents.
“We are doing something very illegal. In trying to slow down
vehicles on the roads around where we live, we are building illegal,
illegitimate, and inappropriate speed ramps.”
Former President Rawlings recalled how a VRA official who
had an accident over one of such ramps developed a serious injury to the
vertebrae.
He said there was a proper way of constructing such ramps
and called on those responsible to ensure they constructed such ramps
responsibly.
