Dr Hilla Limann, the forgotten hero
Sixteen years ago, on January 23, 1998, Ghana lost one of her most illustrious sons, Dr Hilla Limann.
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Elected President of Ghana on the ticket of the People’s National Party (PNP) in 1979, President Limann had the rather challenging task of reforming and transforming Ghana after years of rot and indiscipline occasioned by the long run of military dictatorship from 1972 to 1979.
Throughout his 27 months rule, Dr Limann espoused the virtues of morality and abhorred selfishness, greed and the greatest social evil, corruption. For a continent where politicians have earned the unenviable tag of looters of the public purse, it is a tribute to President Limann that neither him nor any member of his immediate family acquired riches at the expense of the taxpayer.
As President, the achievements of his regime were widespread and varied, ranging from energy, agriculture, transportation, rural development, corporate governance and foreign policy, among others.
In the area of energy, for example, Dr Limann cannot be distanced from our current oil find, the construction of the Kpong Hydro Electric Dam and the construction of the Bui Dam, which recently commenced operation to augment our energy supply. Under Limann, Ghana intensified her oil exploration efforts. In the case of the Kpong Dam, President Limann had to raise funds to complete and inaugurate the project within 23 months of his administration. But for the 1981 military intervention, the PNP was on course to working on and completing the Bui Dam after it had been abandoned following the overthrow of Dr Nkrumah. As his show of commitment, President Limann earmarked some $15 million for the project.
In spite of these laudable achievements, successive administrations have woefully failed to honour the memory of a man whose ascension to the presidency was through a democratically staged election.
As we celebrate the life of a man who gave his all to a country he so much loved, I call on the Mahama-led government to use the occasion to right the wrongs of the past by duly acknowledging and honouring all those who have selflessly contributed to the advancement of our beloved country.
— The writer is the Director of Communications, PNC.
