Boakye Gyan Addresses Counter June 4 Rally

A former spokesperson of the defunct Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), Major Boakye Gyan (retired) will today address a gathering at Atebubu in the Brong Ahafo Region to mark the June 4 uprising. Maj. Gyan was reported a few weeks ago to have denied being a part of any activity to counter the commemoration of the 33rd anniversary of the uprising. But he confirms to Citi News he will be doing his own version of celebration with other cadres today. He said he only intends to �share his views� about the over three-decade-old event. He, however, added that if in the process he says something �and the cup fits somebody, that person must wear it,� in apparent reference to the Rawlingses. A group of junior army officers seized power on June 4, 1979 and carried out a �house cleansing� exercise against corruption. Three former military leaders of Ghana, Lt. Gen. Afrifa, Gen. Acheampong and Lt. Gen. Akuffo were all executed together with five other senior officers deemed to have been corrupt by special courts set up by the Rawlings-led junta. Though the revolution was highly venerated by the masses at the time, the fervor with which it is thought of and marked in recent years has reduced. This according to some has been arguably due to what has been described as the inconsistency between what is preached by certain key actors of the revolution and what is actually practiced by same. Boakye Gyan who was one of the key architects of the revolution is one of such critics. He has for some time now, like many others, downplayed values his former boss and colleague, Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings espouses regarding the uprising. He has also openly accused the ex-president of plotting a coup based on his �constant hacking away at previous and current governments for apparent inaction, corruption among others.� Speaking to Citi News, the former AFRC spokesperson confirmed the rally is scheduled for this afternoon. According to him, he will this morning begin with a wreath laying ceremony in Sunyani also in the Brong Ahafo Region before proceeding to the rally grounds at Atebubu. �I will first of all go to Sunyani early in the morning and lay wreath at the statues of the fallen Soldiers around the Municipal Assembly premises and then, thereafter take a trip to attend a rally where I am billed to be the principal speaker,� he said. He said the rally was organized by cadres and other people he described as the true believers in the values of the May 15 and June 4 revolution. According to him, he is not on a mission to undermine anyone by addressing the gathering. �I was involved in June 4 so I am entitled to share my views on what it means to me and Ghanaians today. It doesn�t matter whether somebody has spoken or not. I am going to share my views about the significance of June 4, 33 years on and that is all there is to it. If in the process I say something and the cup fits anybody, the person must wear it. But I am not setting out to undo anybody. I am not anybody�s half hatchet man,� Maj. Gyan pointed out. Meanwhile, former president Rawlings in a characteristic fashion berated the NDC government yesterday at Aflao when he took his turn to address a crowd of his supporters. He said the NDC which he helped into office as it stands now is unfit to win the December polls because leaders of the government have thrown away the values of June 4 namely probity, justice and accountability.