Former Ghanaian president Jerry Rawlings dies aged 73

Jerry Rawlings, former president of Ghana, passed away on Thursday. A statement issued by Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Ado indicated that Rawlings died at 10 am local time on Nov 12 while undergoing treatment for a brief illness.

According to state media, Rawlings was admitted to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana's capital Accra last week after feeling unwell.

“It is with great sadness that I announce to the nation that the first president of the fourth republic, His Excellency Jerry Rawlings has joined the ancestors,” Akufo-Ado said.

“I have directed that all national flags should fly at half-mast for the next week. In honor of the memory of the former president, the vice-president and I have suspended our political campaigns for the same period,” he added.

After years of political turmoil in Ghana, Rawlings, who took over government as chairman of a joint military-civilian government, introducing multi-party elections in 1992. He was elected president under a new constitution, fully assuming the role of president the following year.

Rawlings is credited with overseeing Ghana's transition to multi-party democracy and is often viewed as the man behind one of Africa's most democratic nations. He served two terms before being succeeded by John Kufour in 2001.