Rawlings Cause of Death: Nyaho-Tamakloe Makes Controversial Claim About Former President’s Passing
- Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe has disputed suggestions that former president Jerry Rawlings died from COVID-19
- Nyaho-Tamaklo called for an autopsy and an independent inquiry into the former president's death in 2020
- The founding member of the New Patriotic Party says he expects the true circumstances leading to Rawlings' death to come to light
A founding member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, does not believe that President Jerry John Rawlings died of COVID-19, as has been speculated.
He has, thereby, outlined reasons he believes point to a different cause of death.
Source: Facebook
Speaking to GhanaWeb, Nyaho-Tamakloe claimed information available to him contradicts general knowledge on the matter.
He explained that checks he made, including with a relative of the late former president, suggested that Rawlings allegedly tested negative for COVID-19.
"He had two tests and they came out negative as I have stated in the book. That's point number one."
He further argued that, given Rawlings' stature as a former head of state, an autopsy should have been conducted to determine the exact cause of his death.
Nyaho-Tamakloe questioned why no such report has been made public, stressing that procedures such as chemical pathology could provide clear answers if they were carried out.
"The autopsy can tell us exactly what killed Jerry John Rawlings especially if they do what we call chemical pathology. All these things, if they have done them they should come forward."
Nyaho-Tamakloe, therefore, urged the government to establish an independent commission of inquiry to determine the true cause of Rawlings' death.
Who was Jerry John Rawlings?
Rawlings was a former military leader who ruled the country from 1981 to 1992 as its Head of State.
Rawlings would later serve as the then democratically elected President of Ghana between 1992 and 2000, after ruling as a military leader from December 31, 1981.
Rawlings died on Thursday, November 12, 2020, after reportedly suffering complications from COVID-19.
The former president died less than a month after burying his mother, Victoria Agbotui.
He left behind his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, and four children.
JJ Rawlings statue unveiled in Keta
A statue of former President Jerry John Rawlings was unveiled at Dzelukope in the Keta municipality of the Volta Region on January 7.
The unveiling was done 33 years after Rawlings was sworn into office as the first President of the Fourth Republic.
Source: Facebook
The construction of the statue was funded by two individuals at Dzelukope: Mawuko Dzikunu and Clifford Selasi Kekeshie.
In a statement on Facebook, the Rawlings family shared photos of the ceremony.
Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the Klottey-Korle MP and his daughter, spoke at the ceremony and urged Ghanaians to emulate his ideals of probity and accountability.
Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings passes on
YEN.com.gh previously reported that Rawlings' widow, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, died at the Ridge Hospital in Accra on October 23 after an illness.
She was 76 years old and was accorded a state funeral on November 28, 2025.
Source: YEN.com.gh
