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Former President Jerry John Rawlings says it is his abhorrence of theft and lying that ensured he remained in office for nearly 19 years.
Addressing a visiting delegation of chiefs and queen mothers from the Traditional Bird Area, the former president said: “I did not come to public office to steal and I never did. We had to go through many sacrifices to get to today as a country, and in no way was I going to compromise my integrity. “
However, Lt. Rawlings noted that his principles, as propagated and established during his tenure, have been abandoned.
“U.S [NDC] We won all of our elections and survived some of the most difficult times in our nation’s history during the time that we did, bringing hope and relief to our people because of those strong values and principles.
“What has sustained some of us is our adherence to the principles of truth, justice and fair play; It is not a vulgar pursuit of materialism, a trait that has unfortunately been perpetuated in the leadership structures of our society, ”said the former president. .
Citing what went wrong, former President Rawlings said the mass of political testosterone swirling around the 2008 NDC victory evaporated when the Mills administration failed to fully investigate the killings again. politicians such as the murder of Yaa Naa and the death of Alhaji Issa Mobilla, then the Northern Regional President of the CPP.
Former President Rawlings said that the refusal to restore truth, transparency and, above all, justice in the fabric and psyche of the nation led to the institutionalization of crime and corruption, ultimately resulting in the electoral loss of 2016 NDC.
Commenting on Professor Kwamena Ahwoi’s recent book, “Working with Rawlings,” the former president said that it was regrettable that matters relating to the late President Mills have been misrepresented to make him look bad.
According to him, days after candidate Mills traveled to South Africa for treatment following his nomination in 2006, “he called me one mid-morning to tell me he couldn’t continue and wanted to step aside. I asked him to wait until I came back and also wanted to know if he had mentioned this to anyone. He was silent and did not reply so I assumed he could have. About the next day, I invited the elders, some former ministers, and other elders to a meeting during which I tried to lay out the professor’s condition without being specific.
“Towards the end of the meeting, however, I suggested that the names of the presidential hopefuls be floated. The point is that the NDC party looked visually and politically vulnerable, while the NPP seemed like a party with more presidential potential than it could handle or contain. These were my personal observations. My next intervention was to ask who was second in the last congress. He wasn’t sure if it was Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu or Dr. Spio Garbrah. He did not know nor did he think that an attempt to ensure that we were prepared for any eventuality would cause an affront to his handlers.
“The next day or so, I spoke to Ato Ahwoi on the phone insisting that they should publish the names of potential presidential candidates and would-be our people and include their own names: they the Ahwois. Later I realized that they were preparing to receive Professor Mills with a large crowd at the airport, which was good for morale. But as the days passed, the language took on an unpleasant tone creating the impression that it had some bad motive. The professor arrived and was questioned, I heard from his handlers and the meeting that he was waiting and waiting for never took place. Meanwhile, it was being publicized in the following days by doing a house-to-house campaign.
“Despite the events that took place, my wife and I did not hesitate to campaign vigorously towards the 2008 election. After all, I had supported Mills since 1998 and was not going to back down in the middle of a crucial election. ”Concluded the former president.
Bird heads
Earlier, the Chiefs delegation led by Togbega Nyamekor Glakpe V, Supreme Chief of Ave Dakpa Traditional Area and Chairman of the Ave Chiefs Council, commended former President Rawlings for his sensitivity, humility and reverence towards traditional chiefs and leaders, stating that his vision led to the supply of electricity to most of the country through the Rural Electrification Project.
The bosses said they were shocked to read Kwamena Ahwoi’s disparaging statements about Rawlings’ leadership qualities and wondered how the author could arrive at such falsehoods.
Togbega Glakpe also touched on the local government structure that empowered the masses and set an admirable record when he handed over power when his party lost an election.
“As a pragmatic and astute leader, Rawlings understands African politics and it is time to step down, if necessary, to preserve the achievements of the fight against injustice,” said Togbega Glakpe.
The bosses wondered what the author was doing about his book, as well-meaning Ghanaians had described it as lacking in credibility.
“In light of the above, the heads of the northern Akatsi district have boldly come out to disassociate ourselves from Kwamena Ahwoi’s book because it lacks credibility,” said Togbega Glakpe.
The members of the delegation were composed of Togbe Agboka Sowu IV, Chief of Ave Havi, Togbe Adogo Agbalekpor IV, Supreme Chief of the Traditional Area of Ave Xevi, Togbe Hodzi Dunyo IV, Dufia of Ave-Atanve and First Vice President of the Council of Chiefs of Ave., Togbe Tamekloe XI, Dufia de Ave Dzogbekope / Ave Afiadenyigba and second vice president of the Council of Bird Chiefs, Togbe Nuku Morti VIII, Awafia de Ave Afiadenyigba, Togbe Galley Adelakpui III, Dufia de Avevi and Togomebe Dugble V, Dufia de Ave K. The rest are, Togbe Gidinyakpo II, Awafia of Ave- Dakpa Traditional Area, Mama Yawor Aviakpui, Queen of Ave Havi, Mama Awutorkeve I, Queen of Ave Xevi Traditional Area, Mama Korkor II, Queen of Ave Dakpa Traditional Area, Mama Akeh III , Queen of the Traditional Area of Ave Dzalele, Mama Nyawunu II Queen of Avevi, Mama Koshi Atsinoto I, Queen of Ave Afiadenyigba, Tsiami Atti Kuma of Ave Wukpe and linguist for the occasion, Tsiami Ayeyu Agbalenyo of Ave Kpedome and Mc-Solo Dziwornu- Ziddah, Secretary General of the Council of Chiefs of Ave.
Progressive intellectuals
Among the groups that have stood in solidarity with the former president in recent weeks is Progressive Intellectuals, an association of academics and intellectuals with members of Ghana’s various tertiary institutions.
A delegation from the group led by Professor Martin Oteng Ababio, Head of the Department of Geography and Resource Management at the University of Ghana also visited the former president. The Progressive Intellectuals assured former President Rawlings that there were a number of academics and intellectuals across the country who identified with his values and principles and were prepared to defend and promote his legacy.
Other members of the delegation were Dr. Benedicta Yayra Fosu-Mensah, Professor of Environmental Sciences and Agriculture at the University of Ghana, Dr. Harry Agbanu, Senior Lecturer in the Department for the Study of Religions at the University of Ghana and former President of the UTAG. Dr. Yunus Dumbe, Senior Lecturer, Department of Religions, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Munkaila Abdulai, Professor of Strategy and Innovation, Department of Business Administration, University of Professional Studies, and Dr. Rashid Haruna, Director of Research, NDC .
The NDC Youth Wing, represented by the Regional Youth Organizers from the sixteen regions, has also recently asked the Party Founder to express their solidarity.
