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A Nigeria brethren sey the ongle way his country will rid itself of corruption, is for a new leader to undertake a "house cleaning exercise". This strategy was used by Jerry Rawlings in Ghana.
1979
With the support of both the military and civilians, Jerry Rawlings led a bloody coup that ousted the Supreme Military Council from office and brought the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) to power.
As one of his first acts in power, Rawlings ordered the execution of some former military dictators. Ignatius Kutu Acheamphong, Akwasi Afrifa, and Fred Akuffo were executed. Five other generals—Joy Amedume, Boakye, Roger Felli, Kotei, and Utuka—were also put to death. Rawlings is also rumoured to have been involved in the killings of Supreme Court Justices Kwadjo Agyei Agyepong, Frederick Sarkodie, and Cecilia Koranteng Addo, as well as a military officer, Major Sam Acquah. However, a national Truth and Reconciliation Commission, chaired by Supreme Court Justice G.E.K. Aikins, absolved Rawlings of any involvement.
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. This "house-cleaning exercise" included (but not exclusively) very suspicious disappearances of many people who were never seen again.
Meanwhile, following a programme already set in motion before the June 4 uprising, the ruling junta organized free general elections. On 24 September 1979, the AFRC handed over power to a civilian government led by the People's National Party (PNP), under President Hilla Limann.
Limann's administration was cut short on 31 December 1981, when Rawlings deposed him in another coup. 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.
1979
With the support of both the military and civilians, Jerry Rawlings led a bloody coup that ousted the Supreme Military Council from office and brought the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) to power.
As one of his first acts in power, Rawlings ordered the execution of some former military dictators. Ignatius Kutu Acheamphong, Akwasi Afrifa, and Fred Akuffo were executed. Five other generals—Joy Amedume, Boakye, Roger Felli, Kotei, and Utuka—were also put to death. Rawlings is also rumoured to have been involved in the killings of Supreme Court Justices Kwadjo Agyei Agyepong, Frederick Sarkodie, and Cecilia Koranteng Addo, as well as a military officer, Major Sam Acquah. However, a national Truth and Reconciliation Commission, chaired by Supreme Court Justice G.E.K. Aikins, absolved Rawlings of any involvement.
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. This "house-cleaning exercise" included (but not exclusively) very suspicious disappearances of many people who were never seen again.
Meanwhile, following a programme already set in motion before the June 4 uprising, the ruling junta organized free general elections. On 24 September 1979, the AFRC handed over power to a civilian government led by the People's National Party (PNP), under President Hilla Limann.
Limann's administration was cut short on 31 December 1981, when Rawlings deposed him in another coup. 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.