PERPETRATORS OF 1981 COUP ARE CRIMINALS — PNC (PAGE 13, JAN 5, 2011)

THE National Youth Organiser of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Mr Emmanuel Wilson, has stated that perpetrators of the 1981 31st December coup which ousted President Dr Hilla Limann should have been languishing in jail by now.
Addressing a public lecture to commemorate the 29 years of the overthrow of the founder and leader of the PNC, Dr. Hilla Limann, Mr. Wilson accused the coup makers for overthrowing a legitimate government voted for by the good people of Ghana.
He alleged that the leadership of the coup violated the 1979 Constitution and committed a treasonable offence for which reason they should have been handed life sentences.
The PNC National Youth Organiser chastised the framers of the 1992 Constitution for inserting the indemnity clause and said that clause should be removed to ensure that those who perpetrated the coup that truncated the government of Dr Limann were brought to justice.
He blamed some members of the Limann Administration, who were currently serving in the National Democratic Congress (NDC), as persons who conspired with the coup makers to facilitate the overthrow of the Presidency of the country in the Third Republic.
He added that such high level of betrayal and sycophancy must not be tolerated in the current PNC set up.
Touching on the way forward for the PNC, Mr. Wilson said the party was placed at a privileged position among the other political parties in the country to assume the reigns of government but that required committed members who would throw their support behind the leadership and the entire party.
“Let’s eschew sycophancy” he said, stressing that: “The culture of sycophancy is becoming a growing phenomenon in PNC today. Till we are able to resolve to pursue the collective interest of the party and not our individual interests and rally behind our party, the PNC will not win elections in this country”.
Speaking on the topic: “Expectation or Realities of the Limann Administrations”, the Upper East Regional Secretary of the PNC, Mr. Henry Fatchu, said although President Limann served only 27 months in government, he left a great legacy and added had the military accepted that only patience, honesty, sincerity and hard work were the cardinal principles of saving the nation from total ruin and disgrace, the Limann administration would have been one of the best in the country.
“By sensible and cautious diplomacy, prudent financial management and probity in handling affairs, the Limann administration was making a positive impact on the world financial and economic institutions when the 31st December 1981 coup came” he said.
The Regional Chairman of the PNC, Alhaji Baba Mohammed, said 31st December in each year would be used to remind Ghanaians of the achievements of Dr Limann and propagate what he stood for.