Former President Jerry John Rawlings has taken Ghanaian businessman and former President of AngloGold Ashanti Samuel Esson Jonah to the cleaners describing him as greedy and treacherous.
He subtly accused Mr. Jonah of working with Apartheid South Africa to rape the country of its resources.
His comments come on the back of allegation levelled against him by one business tycoon, Alhaji Ibrahim Yusif who said his hotel was demolished on the orders of Rawlings’ because he thought Sam Jonah co-owned the hotel and a financier of the then opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).
But speaking during the 40th anniversary of the June 4 revolution, the former President said people like Sam Jonah and Alhaji Yusif seem to be untouchable, saying he would still have demolished their structures that have blocked water ways if time were to be reversed.
Mr. Rawlings said Sam Jonah is greedy just like Alhahji Yusif who do not want to be touched when they go wrong.
‘And to think that I am accused of ordering the demolition because I had a bone to pick with your Sam Jonah. Sam Jonah by the way, is not unknown to have a treacherous and greedier appetite than your little hotel,’ he said in his statement monitored by MyNewsGh.com.
The ex-President who has no regrets of demolishing the 5-million -dollar hotel said Alhaji is not in the position to forgive him not even the rat in his hometown.
Mr Rawlings explained that the structures were demolished based on the complaints by Alhaji Yusif’s law-abiding neighbours who recognized the potential harm the building could cause.
‘One Alhaji Yusif reportedly forgave me for the demolishing of his hotel because he believed I thought he co-owned it with Sam Jonah and also that he was financing the opposition party. In the first place, he is in no position to forgive anyone or anything, not even the bush rat in his home town,’ he said.
An incensed ex-President said Alhaji Yusif’s financial claims granted by the court was overblown adding that his kind always mix business with politics.
‘I’m not sure the misuse of my name will win you any sympathy. Your financial claims and that granted by the court was overblown, but that’s how your kind mix business with politics,’ he fumed.