There is a new narrative among the political elite when it comes to asking former President Rawlings to defend his record. It is often seen as an attempt to tarnish "Rawlings political legacy". Rawlings himself has had enough time to defend his sordid legacy of murder, forced incarceration, mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy under his watch, and land grabbing.
Is it so difficult for Rawlings to tell Ghanaians what he knows about the murder of the three High Court Judges and a retired Army Major, and the executions of high ranking officers of our illustrious Armed Forces including former Heads of State of the Republic? Is it difficult for him to defend his shoot to kill orders after the 19 June 1983 jailbreak by patriots and defenders of the original aims of the 31 December 'Revolution'?
Now Rawlings himself has degenerated into inventing shameless cock and bull stories about his role in our politics since he burst into the scene on 15 May 1979. Having listened and read from the likes of Capt Baah Achamfour, member of the former AFRC, Sgt Allolga Akata Pore and recently by one of the founding member of the June Four Movement, I am convinced that my recollections detailed in my book ("Ghana: The Struggle for Popular Power - Rawlings Saviour or Demagogue") published in the 1990s are largely correct.
Rawlings cannot continue to hide behind his weak defense that people who helped him on his way to power or others who worked with him are out to tarnish his image anymore. His perchance for opulence, wealth, and privilege, while preaching the opposite constitutes his legacy.
History, Rawlings's own continued lies and ongoing revelations from insiders will no doubt expose his record for what it is: misogynistic , sordid, murderous, and incompetent. Under his Structural Adjustment Programme, Ghana became an "IMF BABY. " This allowed his Govt to sell Ghana's resources and the creation of 'structural adjustment oligarchs'.
The destruction of our educational and health facilities should remain high on his list of so-called "legacy". Those who will continue to defend this legacy should do so but spare a thought the children sitting on blocs in snake-infested huts called schools.
Rawlings legacy? What legacy?