Archives: Adu Boahene’s perspective on June 4

Archives: Adu Boahene’s perspective on June 4

…How Adu Boahen Saw The Transition From SMC (2) To AFRC, nine years After The June 4 Insurrection!

* “AND IT WAS JUSTIFIABLE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT AGAINST A CIVILIAN BUT ANOTHER MILITARY REGIME THAT DID NOT HAVE THE MANDATE OF THE PEOPLE TO BE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE” (EXCERPT NO: 1)

“Not only was June 4 absolutely necessary and justifiable but it was also most opportune. It was necessary and opportune because the society especially the upper crust in general and the Armed Forces in particular urgently required that house – cleaning exercise prior to the return to civilian rule. It was obvious that if the pent – up fury of the other ranks had not been given vent even more bloody and chaotic conditions would have immediately followed the return to civilian rule.

“In this respect, June 4 was indeed ‘a vital pre –requisite for a successful return to civilian rule’.

SECONDLY, THE COUP DID NOT IN ANYWAY ALTER THE ARRANGEMENTS THAT HAD BEEN MADE FOR RETURN TO CIVILIAN RULE. IF ANYTHING, IT RATHER ACCELERATED THE PROCESS BY SHORTENING THE PROGRAMME BY SEVEN GOOD DAYS. AND IT WAS JUSTIFIABLE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT AGAINST A CIVILIAN BUT ANOTHER MILITARY REGIME THAT DID NOT HAVE THE MANDATE OF THE PEOPLE TO BE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. NOR DID IT INFRINGE OR ABROGATE ANY CONSTITUTION THAT WAS IN EXISTENCE. Above all, it did set itself very limited objectives, pursued them with military and revolutionary zeal and handed over. Indeed June 4 did set a precedent which it was hoped would be followed subsequently”.

* (CREDIT: Excerpts From Prof. Adu Boahen’s Address At The J.B Danquah Memorial Lectures, 21st Series, February, 1988, Accra, Ghana)

“SMC (2) IN FACT TURNED OUT TO BE, AS SOMEONE PUT IT ‘THE SAME THING DIFFERENT’ AS SMC (1)” (EXCERPT NO: 2)

“Had Akuffo and the reconstituted SMC heeded these suggestions and implemented them immediately, his regime would most probably have lasted. But they did not. They did not only refuse to try Acheampong and his roguish associates but they also failed to check the corruption, economic mismanagement, daylight looting of the State’s coffers, the ostentatious living and kalabule that were going on: nor did they deal with the indiscipline and corruption in the Army. SMC II IN FACT TURNED OUT TO BE, AS SOMEONE PUT IT ‘THE SAME THING DIFFERENT’ AS SMC I.

“The question then is why Akuffo and SMC II failed to implement the sound measures that were urged on them. The answer is quite simple and could be found in the old English saying that those who live in glass houses do not throw stones.

“AS IT BECAME OBVIOUS SUBSEQUENTLY, AKUFFO AND HIS NEW SMC MEMBERS WERE PART OF THE WHOLE SYSTEM OF KALABULE, CORRUPTION, SMUGGLING, PROFITEERING AND INDISCIPLINE THAT WAS RAMPANT AND EVIDENTLY ANY ATTEMPT TO INVESTIGATE OR TRY ACHEAMPONG AND HIS HENCHMEN WOULD HAVE EXPOSED ALL OF THEM. THUS, INSTEAD OF CLEANING UP THE MESS LEFT BY ACHEAMPONG, AKUFFO AND HIS SMC II SPENT THEIR TIME NOT ONLY AMASSING WEALTH AND ENRICHING THEIR WIVES AND GIRL FRIENDS, BUT ABOVE ALL ENSURING THAT THEY RETURNED THE COUNTRY TO CIVILIAN RULE UNDER A CONSTITUTION WHICH WOULD GUARANTEE THEIR FUTURE SAFETY, SECURITY AND IMMUNITY AND ENABLE THEM TO ACHIEVE THE LATTER OBJECTIVE BY HAVING INCLUDED IN THE NEW CONSTITUTION A CLAUSE WHICH INDEMNIFIED THE SMC, THE NLC AND THE NRC, I.E. ALL THE THREE PREVIOUS MILITARY GOVERNMENTS, AGAINST ANY ACTS THAT THEY HAD COMMITTED. BUT THEY WERE OVERTAKEN BY EVENTS”.

* (CREDIT: Excerpts From Prof. Adu Boahen’s Address At The J.B. Danquah Memorial Lecture, 21st Series, February, 1988, Accra, Ghana)

***Editorial opinion on this historical information from JusticeGhana: Art 34(1-5) of Part IV- Miscellaneous provisions of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana- indemnifies all previous military dictatorships and their fuctionaries- including AFRC AND PNDC, from prosecution of any wrongdoing while in office. This seems to run counter to the letter and the spirit of the Fourth Republican Constitution which has Freedom, Justice, Probity and Accountability as its Preambles?

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