My attention has been drawn to a statement issued on April 19th 2011 from the office of the former President Flight Lieutant Rawlings (Retired).

RE: RAWILINGS DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM FONKAR?

As much as the statement is unfortunate, and disingenuous, it is seeking to drag my name into the mud, without any cause, except to express my opinion in an organized party emergency meeting in Ho, where I am a co-opted member of that Executive.

I am at pains to respond unambiguously in a frank and principled manner underlying the virtues of the June 4th and 31st December revolutions which espouses probity and accountability for which a lot of my friends including colleagues of the former President have shed their blood and laid down their lives, for which on every June 4th year on year they are remembered by lighting the Cenotaph in memory of them.

I Consul Alfred Woyome do not have a political sponsor and will not have any. My God in whom I believe has always remained my sponsor and my fortress.

Since May 15th, June 4th, 31st December, NDC1 and NDC2 period when I was not in this country nor visited, and through former President Kuffour’s regimes, and to President Atta Mills’ regime, I have never received a contract under the budget of the Republic of Ghana, nor have my companies received any. Rather, I have contributed hugely to the society. This has taken the form of care for HIV orphans, support to single mothers and disadvantaged persons, supporting them in their education provision of free eye tests, provision of drinking water to deprived communities throughout the country free of charge. I have also contributed to some social responsibilities such as provision of modern sporting facilities, etc, etc.

I have made huge contributions to the NDC party from 2000 up to date, running into millions of New Ghana Cedis and also sponsorship of several parliamentary elected personnel, etc, etc.

All the above has been done based on the principles which gave birth to the revolution and same principles which I believe the former President shares. I, Alfred Woyome have never been afraid or shy of speaking my mind and I will continue to speak my mind on issues affecting the NDC, other political parties and the State of Ghana.

In Ho, I made a speech and the main points in the speech, I re-echo

1. The Volta Region has suffered over the period in terms of development, either by design or by accident.

2. Successive governments have paid lip service to the development of the Volta Region including the Eastern corridor road.

3. NDC1, NDC2 seemed to have laid the foundation for a Volta Region take-off, although the Volta Region had been and continues to the bedrock of the NDC.

4. That Jerry John Rawlings brought Professor John Evan Atta Mills, presented and declared him as the leader of the party in Swedru. The Volta Region bought that idea, and stood behind that declaration till date, to the point that the Volta Region had to send a delegation to the Chiefs of the Central Region in support of their son Professor Atta Mills, and that what the Rawlingses saw in Professor Atta Mill, we saw for ourselves, bought into it, spent our time and resources promoting him, defending him till date. In the process, some of us were shot at on three occasions, our houses were attacked by police forces on one occasion, severally visited the BNI offices on flimsy accusations, escaped assassination attempts in broad day light at the Supreme Court premises under the pretense of arresting me and no charges preferred etc, etc. and of things that cannot be written.

5. That it took this present administration one year to form a government because the NPP government boycotted the transition and took away most of the handing over documents. I had the singular privilege of being a member of the nomination committee. The actual development that everyone is praising this administration for has taken place in only one year. The Volta Region has seen its fair share of it which gives us hope in the Volta Region, that the next two years and another four years will open up the Region for development and progress and could be nicknamed “Bra be wye” Come and see.

6. I stated that conventional wisdom and practice in politics does not suggest that a sitting President that is doing well is challenged in the primaries leading to a general election. That evidence abounds that in several situations where it had occurred, that sitting government has slipped into opposition. I have encouraged them that in our case if it does happen God will be on our side and the side of Ghana. That the sitting President has dedicated the throne publicly to the Lord God Almighty.

7. I questioned what Atta Mills might have done, that other people might have warranted his being contested in the primaries, taking into consideration all our collateral investment over the years. That we have invested in his President including the President’s own efforts and struggle that led to he becoming sick for sometime. Thank God he is now well. Others choose to remind him of his sickness as if they are God.

8. His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings stated in Tamale that he and his family were not interested in the throne - “Castle”. This was reported widely and he did not refute it. That it beats my mind that at a later date in Kumasi, he states that he is not supporting President Mills. This amounts to a betrayal of trust. He has lured us to love this man, trust him and invest in him, and the man has not disappointed us as a true NDC leader. Then he turns around making public statements that he would not support him. I wanted him to give us a tangible reason why?

9. We are convinced and will continue to support the bid of Professor Atta Mills to lead the great NDC party to victory in 2012. Those giving information to former President Rawlings are misleading / deceiving him. The move on the ground is not supporting a Konadu bid because they think it amounts to a Dynasty. Is this using the name of President Rawlings to misinform the public? I disagree with him supporting the bid of Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings because it is not in the best interest of the State. I will not stop commenting on my beliefs and making statements concerning him as far as he remains Chairman Rawlings “Chairman of the Cadres”, founder of the NDC and a former President being paid by the taxpayers.

Signed Alfred Woyome