Otumfuo Vists JJ

Rawlings: No vendetta, yes, but justice must prevail

Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings says the failure of leadership to sanction wrong doing is what corrupts societies more, and not the mere aberrations.

He said he agrees perfectly with President John Evans Atta Mills in denouncing vendetta by his administration, but it would be wrong and dangerous on his part to also let perpetrators of infractions escape justice.

Ex-President Rawlings who made the comments at his Ridge residence during a courtesy call on him and his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawalings by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, said so many people, including him, have suffered unnecessary vilification and wrongs for which there should be justice.

He said on leaving office as president, he and others were perceived as wrong doers and made to suffer some aberrations, describing the instances as unfortunate.

“Nobody is asking for vendetta, we all want peace. But we must seek too for the wrongs.”

The Asantehene, accompanied by a retinue of his chiefs, was in Accra to visit President Mills at the Castle to congratulate him on his election victory and assumption of office as President of Ghana, and to invite him to Kumasi on April 26, 2009, to attend a durbar being part of activities marking his (Otumfuo’s) 10th anniversary since his ascension of the Golden Stool.

Otumfuo extended a similar invitation to ex-President Rawlings, who expressed his profound visit to the king for his noble visit, and described it as a symbol of the unity, peace and sense of purpose Ghanaians need to cultivate for nation building.

He implored President Mills to recognize the enormity of work on the hands of his administration, and urged him to seek the counsel of the nation’s elders, including chiefs, in seeking the best for the people.

Ex-President Rawlings gave hints of agitations in the ruling National Democratic Congress, and said he had just returned from a meeting of the party’s leadership where he reminded them that the party was voted into power by a party machinery run both by visible party people, and several others from without the party, and counseled against disunity.

On behalf of his family and party, he expressed gratitude for the King’s visit and promised to honour his invitation.



Story by Isaac Yeboah