Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah has described the death of J.J. Rawlings as a loss to crusaders fighting corruption in Ghana.

“We need such people in the country to ensure that we uproot corruption and get things done in the right way,” he told Ultimate News in Kumasi.

The minister made the comments on the sidelines of a show of force route match held by all security services in the Ashanti region ahead of elections and Christmas.

The parade went solemn when the regional minister called attention for a minute of silencefor the departed former President Jerry John Rawlings.

Simon Osei-Mensah recounted when Mr Rawlings encouraged him to ignore his detractors who had concerns with his forthrightness.

He recalled: “I met him when I became the regional minister. He called me young man just as he loves to call anyone. He told me, ‘you are doing excellently and I’m one of your supporters. I love you from afar but you are not aware so whatever you are doing, keep it up.”

The Security service commanders shared their words of condolences to the nation as Ghana mourns its first president in the 4th republic.

The Officer commanding for the 4th infantry Battalion of the Ghana Armed Forces, Lieutenant Colonel Kwasi Peprah pointed out, “it’s a big blow because he carried a lot of experience and a lot of knowledge that could have helped the country.

We are sad and we wish his soul rests in perfect peace.”

The Show of Force saw in attendance the fire service, immigration, the Ghana Armed Forces, the prisons and the Police Service in the Ashanti Region.

The endurance task is to reassure residents of the ability of the security services to protect them from crime and violence during December’s elections and the subsequent Christmas festivities.

Ashanti Regional Police Commander, COP Kwasi Mensah Duku extended words of condolences to the bereaved family.

He told reporter Ivan Heathcote – Fumador, “He has taken us by surprise and what can we say; death is inevitable and we wish the family well.”

Apart from coming up as the region with the highest number of flush points, the Ashanti Region has lately witnessed a series of armed robberies and violent crimes.

The commander of the 4BN Lieutenant Colonel Kwasi Peprah however gave a stern word of caution to miscreants hatching plans to disturb the peace and order of the Ashanti region; that the forces are more than ever united to stop them in their tracks.

The show of force parades are expected to forge the needed unity among the various security forces across the Ashanti region to build a strong force against crime, political vigilantism, violence and armed robbery as elections and end of year festivities draw closer.