Former President Jerry John Rawlings has said attributing every death to God is erroneous because He (God), has given us the “free will” to decide, and often our choices lead us to our graves.

Muslims and Christians generally believe that it is Allah or God who gives (life) and it is He who takes (during death). However, the ex-military leader has argued people’s lifestyles cost them their lives, especially the “silly” deaths on our roads.

“God gave us the free will to worship Him or otherwise… likewise, when a driver fails to have enough sleep and gets so tired behind the wheels and dies in an accident, will you say it is God who caused his death?” Rawlings quizzed at the funeral of the Kwawumanhene in the Eastern region. “No! It is the driver’s foolishness that cost him his life.”

“I ply the Accra-Aflao highway a lot. On a daily basis drivers are arrested for behaviours that could lead to potential accidents. We are now buying tickets or license to go and die on our roads.”

Rawlings also slammed the lack of birth control system among the poor in society. For him, it is ironic that people with the means in society have placed a cap on the number of children they want to have, but the deprived procreate “anyhow because they believe children are gifts from God.”

“The freedom to choose is yours but that doesn’t mean you should give birth to five, six or 10 etc. Some will grow up to be armed robbers [because things are tough]… the choice to be responsible or irresponsible, the choice to be corrupt or not to be corrupt, the choice to do the wrong thing or the right thing is free will. If you do good or bad it is your choice and not God,” Rawlings declared.