President Akufo-Addo has hinted that the Wa Polytechnic will be renamed after Dr. Hilla Limann — Ghana’s only President in the Third Republic.
Mr. Akufo-Addo made this known Tuesday, January 23, 2018 at a commemoration to mark the 20th anniversary of Dr. Limann’s death.
“It is appropriate on this day of the commemoration of the twentieth anniversary of his death I announce with pleasure that the governing Council of Wa Polytechnic in the Upper West Region at its meeting on Thursday 18th January 2018 unanimously proposed to the dynamic Minister of Education Honourable Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, Member of Parliament for Manhyia South that the institution should be renamed after Dr. Hilla Limann,” he said to a thunderous applause at the commemoration.
He continued, “The Minister had sought my view on this and I have indicated to him my happy agreement to this proposal. Once the parliamentary process has been completed, the Wa Polytechnic will thenceforth be called the Hilla Limann Polytechnic—a name, which will remain with the conversion of the Polytechnic into a Technical University.”
Dr. Limann became the President of Ghana in 1979 but was overthrown through a coup in 1981 by Flight-Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, leader of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC).
He subsequently founded the PNC and contested on the ticket of the party in the 1992 Presidential elections but performed abysmally.
Dr. Limann died decent, honest and patriotic man
Dr. Limann said Mr. Akufo-Addo was “one of the historic figures of modern Ghana” who regardless of the circumstances of his birth “strived for excellence no matter where he found himself.”
He said: “Such was the worth of the man, though not then a political heavy weight in the country, who was elected leader of the Peoples National Party. And on the ticket of that party ascended to the high office of the president of the Third Republic—winning 62% of the vote after a runoff against Victor Owusu, the Popular Front Party’s presidential candidate a known political heavy weight at the time.”
“Throughout his presidency spanning the period of some two years three months had the herculean task of restoring order and stability to the nation after the turbulence and tumult of the June 4th era. His best effort seemed to mitigate what appeared to be a mission in possible.
“But, almost inevitably, the guns sounded off again on that faithful day of 31st December 1981. After the overthrow of the Third Republic in the 31st December coupe, to his credit Dr. Limann stayed in the country.
“And when the political space opened up with the country’s return to democratic governance in 1992, he reappeared on the political arena and contested the presidential elections of that year placing third,” he added.
Expressing his extreme admiration of Dr. Limann, Mr. Akufo-Addo stressed: “Il-fated as his presidency was he died with the reputation and memory of a decent, honest and patriotic man.”
Source: StarrFMonline.com