Akua Bonsu

One day former president Rawlings would hopefully realize that his 15 minutes has long past, and that we have a new president who may be a ‘John’ and affiliated with the NDC party but certainly not a Rawlings. In his quest to remain relevant in Ghanaian politics, the former president seeks the spotlight and makes some of the most ridiculous utterances that one wonders if he is not merely trying to make news. He has convinced himself to believe in his own lies to the extent that much of the wrongs that he likes to highlight about others are actually attributable to him. Here are a few examples:

“The removal of the NPP during the last election was a revolt of a different kind. A revolt through the ballot box and Ghanaians were expectant. They witnessed the extreme corrupt practices of the previous government and they now wonder why many of their appointees are still sitting on powerful desks dictating government policy,” he says

The fact is that people do not revolt and then turn around to immediately regret their revolt. In Ghana today, only Rawlings would believe that the people are in a revolutionary mode; they got suckered into voting for the NDC based on deception, but it is now clear to them that the NDC cannot deliver. It is now clear to everyone the real difference between the NPP and the NDC. The former can deliver results, and the latter cannot. As for holdover appointees, the fact remains that the NPP held more NDC appointees than NDC. In fact, the NPP appointed known NDC and CPP members to ministerial level positions. Can anyone name one single non-NDC minister in the current administration?

“We suffered eight years of decline under Kufuor. State lands sold to private individuals, national assets such as the airports and seaports were all given to private entities to manage under corrupt arrangements. The drug menace became a nightmare and Ghana was for the first time in its history described as a major drug transit hub,” he says.

Here is what Rawlings considers “suffered:” a 20 point reduction in Interest Rates and Inflation, average national economic growth of 4% over eight years, stabilization of the cedi against all major currencies, introduction of the Capitation Grant, the free School Feeding Program, the National Health Insurance Scheme, free delivery for pregnant women, discovery of oil in commercial quantities, global acclaim that translated into the largest influx of foreign investment and remittances. We could be here all day and all night listing the achievements of the eight-year Kufuor administration.

In contrast, Rawlings’ 19-year rule was marked by proven landmark corruption cases including the Mabey and Johnson bribery case involving members of his administration. Further, an independent Transparency International has declared that the Corruption Perception Index, which is an accumulation of foreign investors’ own encounters of corrupt officials in Ghana, was higher during the Rawlings administration than it was in the Kufuor administration. Finally during the Rawlings era, not only were national assets sold to private individuals. They were actually sold to family members including his wife. And the drug menace began in the 1990s.

“As we remember this day we need to question our continued sense of dedication to these ideals and ask whether that flame lit 28 years ago is not in danger of being extinguished by our inactions as a political force. The 31st December Revolution was a fall-out of the June 4 1979 uprising which was an eruption created by the failure of successive governments to respect the sanctity of justice and create equal opportunities for citizens of our country,” he says.

While many of us give some credence to the June 4th revolution, the December 31st coup was the worst case of an unnecessary endeavor that began a regression of our national development. Rawlings must be ashamed of the December 31st so-called revolution because it unseated a democratically elected government. Even as at June 4, 1979, the nation was already on the path to democratic system of government. Thus Rawlings’ touting of these unnecessary blips on our national history as crucial for our nation’s development suggest a shameful attempt by him to carve out an enviable place in history, which he does not deserve. In fact, Rawlings has been more harmful to our nation than any single individual. As far as justice is concerned, it is laughable that the murderer of three judges, five former heads of states, and hundreds of those who dared to speak their minds would deem other governments as failing to respect the sanctity of justice.

“Most Ghanaians who believe in the national motto of Freedom and Justice irrespective of their political affiliations will expect that a government born out of noble principles will act more expeditiously to uphold justice. NDC has never used money for political positions,” he says

Today in Ghana, barely a year into the NDC administration, why is it that Ghanaians are again looking over their shoulders when they want to criticize the government? Why is it that an overwhelming majority of “armed robbery” victims are known members of the opposition NPP? Why are radio show hosts being picked up at night? And Rawlings has the audacity to tell us that the NDC is born out of “noble” principles? It would be interesting to see what kind of face he wore when he said the NDC has never used money for political positions. Lying with a straight face is not only shameful; it is the height of folly.

Finally he says “Let us not be seen to be so power hungry we fail to follow the time tested due process that made NDC the party it is today.”

This is coming from the mouth of a two-time coup plotter? Rawlings can talk about June 4th and December 31 while preaching about the need to follow due process? And some people actually sat down and listened to this? Let me guess – they even clapped for him when he finished. Wonders will never end.