General News of Tuesday, 6 November 2012

Source: The Insight Newspaper

Watch Out! Rawlings is coming back to power

The fact that the 1992 constitution debars former President Jerry John Rawlings from coming back to power may not mean very much.

There are very clear indications that at least his methods of fighting corruption could be re-introduced if Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is elected as the President of Ghana.

Nana Akufo-Addo gave the indication when he publicly proclaimed that he is inspired by Mr. Rawlings’ fight against Corruption. Since 1979, Mr. Rawlings has claimed to be at the forefront of the fight against corruption even though some doubts have been raised about his claims.

In 1979, senior army officers who were perceived to be corrupt were tied to the stakes and shot by firing squad without due process. Some of them were tried by Kangaroo courts and sentenced to scores of years in prison.

Elderly women, who were alleged to have sold their wares beyond controlled prices, were stripped naked and publicly flogged.

The properties of persons perceived to be corrupt were also confiscated without due process.

One may ask, is this what inspires Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo so much?

Is Nana Akufo-Addo also inspired by Mr. Rawlings allegation that the Kuffour Administration in which he served as Attorney-General and Minister of Foreign Affairs is the most corrupt in our history?

How different will Nana Akufo-Addo as President be from President Jerry John Rawlings?

Is Mr. Rawlings not coming back to power in the guise of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo?