Tension has been brewing between Ghana's President, John Agyekum Kufuor, and former Head of State, Jerry Rawlings, after public remarks made last year by Rawlings stung Kufuor's government. The Church is now making attempts to defuse the tension, reports Felix Amanfu.

T he Methodist Church of Ghana is making relentless efforts to mediate between Ghana's feuding top statesmen, President John Kufuor and former President Jerry Rawlings.

Relations between the two gentlemen of high office over a period have been at a low ebb. The sour situation came to a head last October, when ex-President Rawlings was on a few occasions invited by state security for interrogation.

He had made certain public pronouncements, which the government, headed by President Kufuor, considered treasonable.

In the midst of a hail of suspicions and misunderstandings that developed over the issue, all official vehicles, except one allocated to the house-hold of the former President, were withdrawn.

Apparently embittered by this action, former President Rawlings reacted swiftly by placing orders for four luxurious land-cruisers. They were delivered at Tema Harbour in less than three weeks.

The government was not pleased. When he was quizzed as to how he got the vehicles, Rawlings blatantly refused to disclose the source.

Obviously, the leadership of the Methodist Church of Ghana could not be happy with such tension-related developments, which do not augur well for good governance and promotion of peace if Ghana is to advance in any way.

The first attempt made by the Church at reconciliation in November last year did not yield the desired result, when the two (President Kufuor and Rawlings) were invited to participate in a national crusade organised by the Church in Accra.

President Kufuor honoured the invitation, but former President Rawlings excused himself with an explanation that he had a commitment in Angola at the material time.

He instead sent one of his trusted aides, former Education Minister, Mr Spio Garbrah to represent him.

In an exclusive interview with AANA, the Most Reverend Dr. Samuel Asante Antwi, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Ghana, expressed deep concern over the instability and war situation that is gradually spreading across the West African sub-region.

He noted that it was the duty of the civil society and the Church in particular to take actions that will promote peace and reconciliation and not war and acrimony.

He sees the process of reconciliation - "one sincerely saying just, I am sorry" - as a necessary condition to avert unfortunate development that could drastically affect the lives of individuals, families and the disposition of an entire nation.

The Presiding Bishop was quite certain that despite the fact that the first attempt did not succeed, the Church has not given up the task of reconciling the two men.

"Now that ex-President Rawlings' party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has elected its flag-bearer in the person of Professor John Atta Mills, we shall raise the level of the reconciliation process through the help of the NDC flag bearer before the next general elections get underway," he emphasised.

Former President Rawlings, had at a political rally in Kumasi last year, called on Ghanaians to engage in what he termed as positive defiance against wrong signals from people in authority, and the ruling government for that matter, before new elections are held in 2004.

"We don't want to wait for the next elections to prevent the rot in the system. We must not accept wrong things," he urged.

This situation obviously did not go down well with the government, hence his problem with the security agencies.

Events relating to the two during last Christmas festivities have in no way helped the peace course either, but rather seem to have widened the gulf.

As protocol demands, President Kufuor sent New Year drinks and greeting cards to former President Rawlings and the flag-bearer of Rawlings NDC, Professor Ata Mills. Both rejected the gifts for their own reasons.

Many well meaning Ghanaians, including Reverend Godwin Debtsuh of the New Horizon Ministry, welcome the reconciliation measure that the Methodist Church is undertaking.

They assert that it will tremendously help national focus and psyche, especially when one considers the fact that some countries nearby are really struggling to contend with political upheavals.

"It will be wonderful to see the two gentlemen shake hands warmly again as they did after the last general elections during a power transfer ceremony," a concerned citizen commented.

An observer remarked that it would be beneficial for the course of Ghana's newly established Reconciliation Commission to get the two to reconcile.

At any rate, the camp of President Kufuor feels that the former president has not really reciprocated the grade of respect Kufuor accorded him. Rawlings is of the opinion that an orchestrated plan is being followed to vilify him.

In an address at a thanksgiving service to climax the six-day crusade organised by the Methodist Church, President Kufuor urged all Ghanaians to pray for lasting peace and unity in the country, to help create a conducive atmosphere of socio-economic development and progress.

He contended that the greatest enemy of the country was poverty, and said the only way to eliminate it was to reconcile with one another and unite to find a lasting solution to it.

"Hatred, pain and anger divert energies, plans and good intentions that are needed to propel the nation forward," the President emphasised.

He further stated that even though it was very difficult for one to forget about the past, he was frank that time had come to forgive one another to ensure the advancement of the country.

He noted it was in this direction that the government established the National Reconciliation Commission to serve as an avenue for aggrieved persons to express their grievances to assuage their pains and suffering.