Rawlings grants audience to Gen Abubakar
By Edmund
Smith-Asante
 |
| The two former heads of state and their spouses interacting |
Nigeria's former Head of State General
Abdulsalami Abubakar yesterday paid a courtesy call on former President Jerry
John Rawlings at his Ridge residence in Accra.
Gen
Abubakar was, therefore, at the Rawlingses to announce his arrival in Ghana for
the conferment of the degree and also congratulate fellow recipient, Mr
Rawlings.
The two
former leaders have also been hailed worldwide for ensuring that Nigeria and
Ghana took and stayed the course of multi-party democracy during their tenures
as heads of state of their respective countries.
Mr
Rawlings, who was in the company of his wife, Nana Konadu Agyemang, gave
opportunity to the General as the visitor to speak, while he chose to speak
after the conferment.
General
Abubakar congratulated Mr Rawlings on being selected to receive an honorary
degree from the UEW and recounted the long-standing fruitful relations and
healthy rivalry between the two countries.
He also
touched on the precarious state of security and economic challenges
being experienced in the West African sub-region.
Ebola disease
The
former Nigerian Head of State also spoke about the Ebola disease that had so
far plagued four countries in the sub-region, describing it as a very serious
issue that called for international assistance to deal with.
“Certainly,
certainly it is really serious. In Sierra Leone, for instance, people
are virtually imprisoned in their homes and food has become scarce for
families because they are afraid to go out. The world should come to our aid,”
he said.
The
General was accompanied by his wife and three children, as well as the
Vice-Chancellor of the UEW, Prof. Akwasi Asabere-Ameyaw.
General
Abubakar is being honoured for the exemplary role he played in ensuring that
the Federal Republic of Nigeria stayed on the course of democracy during
his tenure of office.
Former
President Rawlings is also being recognised for his passion and love for
education, his sacrifices for the establishment of the University of Education,
Winneba and also his boldness to reform the educational sector during his
tenure as leader of the country.
Writer’s
email: Edmund.Asante@graphic.com.gh
This was first published by the
Daily Graphic on August 12, 2014
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