....Rawlings Replies Former Interior Minister

Former President Rawlings has denied accusations by former Interior Minister that his actions and utterances soiled the relationship between government and the late Ya Na Yakubu Andani. Alhaji Malik Alhassan, the former Interior Minister made the accusation when he appeared before the Wuaku Commission on Wednesday. The former President is said to have warned the late Chief not to leave his palace to make way for the funeral of his predecessor. Alhaji Malik Alhassan told the commission that efforts were made to unite the two royal families in Dagbon and government has gone to the extent of inviting the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II towards a peaceful funeral rites for the late Mahamadu Abdulai, the father of Bolin Lana as well as ensuring peace in the Dagbon area before the utterances of the ex-President.

But the former President has described the allegations as a pack of lies and part of the NPP government’s grand plan to criminalise the opposition NDC. Speaking to the BBC, Mr Rawlings said he only advised the late Dagbon King and his counselors not to allow the friction between the two clans to degenerate. “When I was going on the political campaign for our party in that part of the country, I heard that some friction was developing between the two families so I called on the Chief and his Counsellors in public and everything was recorded. They have been handed a copy of the tape and they are refusing to play it”.

Asked if he saw trouble coming in the North, the former President replied in the affirmative. According to him, he was informed that the two families sit in separate places when they go to the mosque to pray, and since that was the norm during his administration he decided to intervene.

On whether he will appear before the Wuaku Commission if invited, the former President said he will, but cautioned that the Commission should be non-partisan, truthful, dispassionate and honest adding that “we can’t have peace if we don’t have justice”.