A new memorial statue honouring Ghana’s longest-serving head of state, Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, is to be unveiled and dedicated at the Keta Parks and Gardens on January 7, 2026.

Videos circulating on social media by 1957 News showed the park, in full decoration, while staff made final arrangements in readiness for the event.

The statue itself could be seen draped in white and traditional kente-themed cloth, ready for its unveiling.

The statue's unveiling serves as a reflection on the life and legacy of the former president, who led the country for 19 years and remains a towering figure in Ghana's political history.

The ceremony will be held at his mother’s hometown of Keta in the Volta Region.

While the specific details of the statue and the dignitaries present at the unveiling were not immediately available at the time of this report, the event signifies a permanent, physical commemoration of Rawlings in a region in which he was closely associated.

Rawlings, who passed away in November 2020, was laid to rest after a state funeral with full military honours in early 2021.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in his national tribute at the time, stated that he believed "history, on balance, will be kind to him" for his role in Ghana's democratic evolution.

His influence extended beyond Ghana's borders. Earlier in 2025, the government of Burkina Faso named a major street in its capital, Ouagadougou, after Jerry John Rawlings.

Burkinabe officials lauded him as "a great fighter for the emancipation of our continent" and a close friend and supporter of the revolutionary leader Captain Thomas Sankara.

See the video below:

@the1957news

LIVE | Scenes from Keta Parks and Gardens ahead of the unveiling and dedication of a memorial statue in honour of His Excellency, Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, former President of the Republic of Ghana.

♬ original sound - The1957News