Former President Jerry John Rawlings has admitted for the first time that times are hard in Ghana and that under the current dispensation, nothing seem to be working; MyNewsGh.com can authoritatively report.

Mr Rawlings who was among dignitaries at the funeral of Nana Ama Obu Derby-Michaelis, mother of Vice President of the Ship Owners and Agents Association of Ghana (SOAAG), Adam Imoru Ayarna observed that the situation is so bad that it has a toll on persons performing even funerals. He advised that in such times, Ghanaians must support one another.

The former President and founder of the leading opposition party NDC underscored the need for Ghanaians to support another since that is the only way they can face the “hardship” head on.

‘’We all know how hard things are in Ghana right now. Times are really hard and during critical moments such as this funeral, the expenses family incurs is a not a joke. Things are not going too well for a lot of people. So I am pleading with all of you, the way things are we have no choice but to help one another. I wish I could support’’ he said to the applause of other mourners.

According to him, things are not going too well for many persons in the country, including himself; indicating that he wished he could do more in support of the bereaved family but “it is not easy” for him.

He explained that he attended the funeral because the son of the deceased, Adam Imoru Ayarna as a man who has a lot of courage to stand his grounds to defend noble values and integrity.

“He is a man who has got a lot of courage. Courage to stand his ground in defense of noble values, in defense of integrity and what it journeys. That is one of the main reasons I have come here and I am glad to see so many of you including our traditional leaders and opinion leaders also gathered here”, he said.

Nana Ama Obu Derby-Michaelis died on, on the 16th of November 2018 at the Tema General Hospital after a short illness at the age of 76.

She was survived by 3 children, Mrs. Marcelyn Campbell who lives in the United Kingdom, Mr. Adam Imoru Ayarna, Chief Executive Officer of Cadesmee International and Vice President of the Ship Owners and Agents Association of Ghana in Tema, Ghana and Mr. Jan Michaelis who lives in Mainz, Germany.

Background

The former president has been criticized by his party members for being a “sellout”. They alleged he was so critical of his own party leadership in the run-up in 2016 elections but has been silent about happpenings in the current Akufo-Addo governement. Sections of NDC footsoldiers on social media and elsewhere attribute NDC’s “44.4 % Onaapo defeat” to his public criticisms of former President John Dramani Mahama and some elements in the party.

They say since President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo came into office, Rawlings has showered occasional praises on him, as MyNewsGh.com reported in times past.

The former military leader revealed his reasons for praising Nana Addo: “at least this current man is cultured. I don’t love him but he is one of the very few cultured ones”.

“The current president has given the opportunity to more women more than we have done in the past years. He (President Akufo-Addo) is a good man” he added.

He accused Mills of actually doing nothing for Ghana while John Mahama squandered his only chance:

“I keep saying Mills didn’t do anything for this country. If he were alive we would have lost the 2012 elections with a wider margin than we did in 2016. God took him away and brought John Mahama, we had the chance to lead this nation again but we squandered it”.

It now appears “hardship”, however it is defined, has forced the NDC founder to criticize this government for the first time in exactly 24 months.