|
Rawlings chastises NDC
Accra, July 1, Ghanadot/GNA - Former President Jerry John
Rawlings says contrary to public opinion that the National
Democratic Congress (NDC) hierarchy submits to his counsel,
it has not learnt a single lesson from him since he left
office as President.
He told journalists: "I would have wished that the Party
hierarchy has learnt some lessons from me but not a single
one piece of my advice has been taken by the Party since I
left office as President."
Former President Rawlings said the Party often took his
counsel only when it had lost its relevance, saying that,
that behaviour had cost the Party dearly over the years.
"I have the experience enough and see things you don't see."
He noted, for instance, if his advice had been taken persons
like Daniel Abodakpi, Sepa Yankey and Victor Serlomey would
not have gone to jail, saying that Ya-Na Yakubu Andani and
Alhaji Issah Molbila would also have been alive if the NDC
had heeded his advice on what to do.
Former President Rawlings said with the forthcoming
elections, it was obvious that the people of Ghana were
tired of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), but the NDC
had waited too long before taking the NPP on.
"When we were in government the NPP's criticisms against us
were consistent and destructive."
He said there was no gain in the NDC waiting for four long
years before flexing its muscles about the misdeeds of the
NPP.
"When the NPP was in opposition they were on our necks
everyday but we have waited for four years before making the
necessary noise," he said.
"There is too much injustice in the system and the NPP is
testing the ability of the nation to resist their corrupt
government."
He noted that some of the parliamentary candidates of the
NDC for the December elections won their slot under very
unpleasant circumstances, which was not good for the
reputation of the Party adding, "all the same you must reach
out to the people with goodwill".
Former President Rawlings called on the rank and file of the
NDC to take party functions and assignments seriously and to
attend them in their numbers to demonstrate to the
international community that the NDC had the over-riding
numbers to kick out the NPP at the December polls.
He noted that the NPP's following was dwindling by the day
and the NDC needed to take advantage of that to stamp their
presence on the conscience of the citizens and the
international community.
"It is time for the NPP to go and they must go in this
election.
"In spite of the existence of ethnic differences like the
Ashantis, Fantes, Akyems, Ewes, Gas and what-have-you, the
people are one in their call for the NPP to go," he said.
He accused the NPP of masterminding the murder of the Ya-Na
Andani to prevent public resistance over the NPP's
fraudulent victory in the 1996 elections and also engineered
the murder of Molbila in 2004 again to prevent public
resistance against their fraudulent victory in 2004 and thus
cowed the populace to submission.
"The incarceration of Tsatsu Tsikata has nothing to do with
whether he is guilty or innocent - it has everything to do
with the NPP's tactics of creating fear in the citizens to
prevent the public from resisting their intended fraud in
the forthcoming elections," he said.
Former President Rawlings expressed worry over why the West
and their media kept lambasting President Robert Mugabe of
Zimbabwe and yet showered praises on President John Agyekum
Kufuor of Ghana.
He said the only difference between Ghana and Zimbabwe was
that in Zimbabwe people are fleeing, whiles in Ghana people
were under coercive silence with nowhere to go, but both
Mugabe and Kufuor were using similar tactics on their
peoples.
Former President Rawlings questioned why Nana Addo Dankwa
Akufo-Addo had proposed to increase in the number of Police
officers in the country, saying that, that proposal was
calculated to turn Ghana into a Police State.
He said policing everywhere in the world emanated from the
social responsibility of the citizens themselves with the
police serving as a supplement.
He said Nana Akufo-Addo wanted to fill the Police Service
with people from his area to counter President Kufuor's men
in the Service so that they would not work against his
interests.
He accused the NPP of using class war, divide and rule,
fraud, violence and intimidation to keep themselves in
office.
"They have demonstrated grave hatred for Dr Kwame Nkrumah
and frown upon his fight for our independence and yet they
claim they stand for freedom and justice," he said.
He described the National Reconciliation exercise as a
shameless job for which the supposed honourable persons who
sat on the Commission were awarded.
Before he read his press statement he apologised for coming
late and said his lateness was due to water shortage in his
house.
"I had soap all over me when the water just run out - I want
you to know that even in this house we have water shortage,"
he said.
GNA
|
