Let's uphold the practice of democracy – Mrs. Limann

Dr. Hilla Limann

Mrs Fulera Limann, wife of the President of the Third Republic, Dr Hilla Limann, has called on Ghanaians to work towards upholding the culture and practice of democracy.

She said the entrenchment of democracy was the key to the growth and development of the country, and that Ghanaians should do away with things that could undermine its practice.

Mrs Limann told the Daily Graphic in an interview that her late husband had valued and treasured democracy and, therefore, worked towards its realisation during the Third Republic.

She said her husband believed in the tenets of democracy and so traversed that path.

The late Dr Hilla Limann, Presidential candidate of the People's National Party during the 1979 elections won the Presidential run-off against the Popular Front Party (PFP) led by Victor Owusu.

He polled 62 per cent of the total votes cast as against 38 per cent by his challenger, Mr Owusu.

During the first round of the election on June 18, 1979, there was no clear winner; Dr Limann polled 35.5 per cent of the votes while Victor Owusu won 29.6 per cent of the votes.

The other parties, including the United National Convention (UNC) led by William Ofori-Atta, and the Action Congress Party (ACP) of Colonel Bernasko shared the remainder of the votes.

In the parliamentary contest, the two parties PNP and PFP won 71 and 45 seats respectively with the other parties taking the rest.

But two and half years into his administration, the Limann government was truncated by the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) headed by Flt.Lt. Jerry John Rawlings.

He passed away at the age of 65 at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in 1998.

Mrs Limann said all Ghanaians had a role to play in upholding the tenets of democracy, and challenged them to play their part in getting it fully entrenched.

Asked how life is after her husband's death, she said, it is “normal and that we are managing”.

She would, however, not comment on last weekend's presidential primary between President J.E.A. Mills and Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings.

Mrs Limann commended the authorities of the University of Ghana for naming a hall of residence after her late husband last week, adding that the university had indeed recognised the contribution of her husband towards building the culture of democracy in Ghana.

She said his name (Dr Limann) would forever be remembered by the students who resided in the hall and follow his path of democracy.