Board Chairman of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Hon. Akwasi Opong-Fosu, has called on members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and public office holders to uphold the values of integrity, accountability, and social justice, insisting that the party’s newly renamed headquarters should represent a living commitment to the ideals of its founder, Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings.
He made the remarks during activities marking the 79th anniversary of the birth of the late former President and founder of the NDC. The commemoration, organised jointly by the NDC and the J.J. Rawlings Foundation, was held under the theme, “From Revolution to Fourth Republic: The Rawlings Legacy.”
The day’s activities began with the official naming of the NDC’s national headquarters after Rawlings and the unveiling of a commemorative bust by President John Dramani Mahama. The celebration later continued at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences with a public lecture and exhibition.
Delivering a lecture titled “Probity Has An Address: What the Rawlings House Demands From Us,” Hon. Opong-Fosu said Rawlings’ greatest legacy extended beyond Ghana’s transition from military rule to constitutional democracy, arguing that it was rooted in the values of probity, accountability, and service to the nation.
According to him, while Ghana has successfully entrenched constitutional governance and regular elections, the country must now strengthen the culture of responsibility, ethical leadership, and institutional discipline needed to sustain the Fourth Republic.
He further urged policymakers to pursue structural reforms that enhance transparency, strengthen public institutions, and improve accountability across the public sector.
Touching on socio-economic issues, Hon. Opong-Fosu expressed concern over widening inequality, warning that growing economic disparities could undermine the country’s democratic gains if left unaddressed.
He stressed that honouring Rawlings’ legacy requires policies that improve the lives of ordinary citizens, particularly the vulnerable, while ensuring that grassroots party members remain central to political decision-making.
On the significance of naming the NDC headquarters after the late President, Opong-Fosu said the gesture should serve as a daily reminder to party leaders, Members of Parliament, and officials to uphold the principles of fairness, discipline, and integrity.
He cautioned that if money, favouritism, and selective justice continue to influence leadership selection and internal party processes, the symbolic renaming of the headquarters would lose its intended meaning.
Concluding his address, the former Minister for Local Government urged the current generation of political leaders to preserve Rawlings’ legacy through ethical conduct, institutional discipline, and a renewed commitment to social justice rather than through symbolism alone.
Source: Yaw Preko