Ghana’s former President, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings says the national motto of Freedom of Justice does not exist in a vacuum but relies on human beings with courage and true qualities to make it meaningful.

Flt Lt Rawlings called for the protection of institutions such as the Armed Forces who have the strength of integrity, loyalty and dependency.

He made the call at the burial service of WO1 Joseph Adjei Boadi, former member of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), at a solemn ceremony in Kumasi last Saturday.

The former President described the Ghana Armed Forces as one of the institutions that believe in freedom and justice with a solid conscience stating, “By the time we were leaving office our Armed Forces had restored the quality and image of being one of the best in the world in terms of being dutiful, determined and conscionable.”

Threat to corruption

He recalled the fact that when troops from Europe and other parts of the world fled Rwanda during their civil war, only Ghanaian troops, filled with revolutionary zeal, compassion and the passion for justice stayed behind when matters deteriorated.

“Unfortunately some governments see such qualities as a threat to their corruption and will do anything to destroy such institutions,” the former President said. Flt Lt Rawlings described the late WO1 Adjei Boadi as “rare gem who was extremely efficient, a highly disciplined soldier and materially incorruptible.”

The former President decried the lack of respect for elders and those who have sacrificed for some great causes in the country and recalled remarks by a former General who recently attended a party event only to depart in disappointment because the good frontline seats had all been taken by appointees and party officials without any consideration for the true elders who had sacrificed and literally fought for the nation and party’s cause.

The retired General further lamented the fact that in another party elders, whether they are ministers or not are always assigned front seats in respect and deference to the roles they have played.

The former President remarked that the fact that the General could not be recognized or acknowledged by the new crop is a serious enough indictment.

Churches were not left out of the former President’s critique, stating that though the churches should be the number one institutions of integrity the rot some of them portray is an eyesore to the image of God. “What has eaten Ghana up so much so that for one to progress he or she has to adopt corrupt tendencies?

It is extremely difficult to move forward by doing things the right way,” he lamented. WO1 Adjei Boadi who died at the age of 71 was a Chief Instructor and Second-in-Command at the Armed Forces Fire Training School before becoming a PNDC member.

He lived, served his country at the highest level and died with his integrity intact. Also present at the ceremony were Nananom, queenmothers and dignitaries including retired Commander Baffour Assasie Gyimah and Peter Anaafi Mensah, former Ashanti Regional Minister.