The Volta Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Henry Kwadzo Ametepe, has stated that the founder of the party, the late Flt. Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, never left the party while he was alive.

According to Mr. Ametepe, though the former President was perceived to be fighting the party as a result of his public admonishing and criticism of the NDC on certain matters, he had his heart with the party and advised them on many issues while he was alive.

Mr. Ametepe made the statement while addressing a night vigil organized in memory of the departed military ruler at the Jubilee Park in Ho on Thursday, 19th November.

He said, “We are being told the JJ was no longer part of the NDC but I want you to know that at the time, he was just behaving like a statesman; he only wanted to ensure that wherever he was, his principles were being upheld but whenever we went behind the scenes, he would advise us as to how things should be done.”

Mr. Ametepe stressed further that, no group of persons can celebrate Mr. Rawlings better than the party [NDC] he has founded.

“JJ can only be remembered by the party he has founded, defended, and strengthened with his philosophy and principles - probity and accountability,” he stressed.

Recounting his working relationship with the late former President, Mr. Ametepe said Rawlings was a commoner, who has compassion for Ghanaians while adding that he was an honest, modest but a principled being who had so much respect for the Ghanaian people.

The former Volta regional deputy Minister mentioned also that, the Volta region had seen a tremendous transformation under Rawlings’ regime in the road sector, extension of electricity into the region, provision of good drinkable water, and the building of several other infrastructural facilities including the now Ho Teaching hospital and the Sogakope district hospital.

Thursday night’s vigil forms part of a series of events the NDC in the region has outlined to mourn and celebrate the life of the party founder.

The vigil saw tributes read from traditional rulers, the Volta MPs caucus, the Zongo community, market women, old cadres, the party’s youth, and women wings.

While reading a tribute on behalf of the traditional authority in the region, Togbe Kasa III of Ho-Ahoe, indicated that Mr. Rawlings was a man of peace and had so much respect for chiefs while he was serving as a President.

He mentioned that his death is a big loss to both the state and most especially, the Volta region, where he hailed from.

The NDC founder, aged 73, died at the Korle-Bu Teaching hospital in Accra, on Thursday 12th November 2020 after a short illness.