The Statesman can say with authority that former President Rawlings, contrary to what he subsequently made the public believe, wrote a letter to John Agyekum Kufour inviting him to either rejoin or freely criticise the former Head of State’s government.

He also prayed for Kufour’s future success, praising his dedication to national duty. He said “Let me assure you that our doors are open to you at any time. We shall appreciate your views differ from ours and your criticism of our performance,” wrote Rawlings to Kufour. During the 2000 electoral campaign, Ghana’s First Lady at the time, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, told Ghanaians that her husband sacked Kufour as Secretary of Local Government because he was incompetent. This was nothing but an absolute lie.

In fact, Rawlings was very sad to see Kufour leave his Government and with either a touch of unforeseen irony or Nostradamus insight, wished Kufour every success in the future. As it turned out, Kufour was not to disappoint him. The Statesman has come across a letter signed by Flt Lt. J.J. Rawlings which shows that the former First Lady told a fib. The letter dated, 18 August, 1982, was in response to a resignation letter sent by Kufour on 2 August. Rawlings said: “Although I find it hard to grant the permission you seek, I realised that your decision to resign was influenced by your respect for principle dear to your heart.” Kufour’s decision to resign from the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) came about five weeks after the brutal murder of the three High Court Judges and the Army Officer, whose charred remains were found at Bundase Military Range, on the Accra Plains.

The Chairman of the PNDC showed how much he was to feel Secretary Kufour’s absence when he remarked: “I wish to express the gratitude and appreciation of the members of the PNDC, as well as my own, to you for our country during the period that you have been with us.” Rawlings, who didn’t pull back on his sentiments ended by saying: “I wish you every success for the future.” Twenty years later, Secretary Kufour beat Rawlings’ handpicked candidate, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, to become the second President of the fourth Republic. Read full contents of the letter in Saturday’s Weekend Statesman.