Rawlings to skip Ghana@50

Former President Jerry John Rawlings has declined an invitation by President Kufuor to join him and other dignitaries at the Independence Square to celebrate the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Ghana's Independence on March 6.

"Ghana is faced with pervasive corruption at all levels, missed opportunities for genuine progress, nepotism, tribalism and known cases of political torture and killings," read a statement release by Rawlings’ special aide, Victor Smith

"There is also decay of our local industry, the breakdown of our educational system, and an empty façade of “good governance” which earns the applause of those who seek to control us," the statement continued
"I deeply regret that I cannot therefore join Kufuor’s government for this anniversary.

My conscience and my principles will not permit me" We present the full press release below
Message From Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings, Former President Of The Republic Of Ghana, To The People Of Ghana And All Well Wishers Of Ghana On The Occasion Of The 50th Anniversary Of Ghana’s Independence FELLOW GHANAIANS both at home and abroad, Dignitaries and most especially Heads of State and all those friends of Ghana who have come to Ghana in a spirit of goodwill to share in the nation’s 50th Anniversary .

As a citizen of Ghana and a Head of State for almost two decades of our 50 years of Independence, I deem it my responsibility to share my thoughts with you with frankness and sincerity, on the occasion of our Anniversary. First of all, I join all of you in thanking our Creator for bringing our dear country to the mature age of 50.

I honour and respect the memory of the late Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the patriot and freedom fighter, who not only led this country to independence from colonial rule but also laid the foundation for Pan- African freedom on our continent and in the diaspora. I wish also to honour all those valiant men and women who made sacrifices in various ways, as well as those who lost their lives during the struggle for our independence from colonial rule.

And I honour every decent, hardworking Ghanaian citizen - our farmers, teachers, nurses, doctors, security personnel, market women, all workers, the numerous unemployed, who have struggled to hold fast to their principles through the hardships, frustrations and intolerably stressful circumstances under which they have had to exist and manage their lives today.
I welcome the very many foreign dignitaries who have taken time off their onerous responsibilities at home to be here for this anniversary, especially those who have played significant roles in the struggle for justice in Africa.

But I am compelled to ask: “What is being celebrated?” I am not alone in asking this question. Many people have already asked these questions. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah achieved independence for us 50 years ago by winning freedom and justice from white colonial rule. Many traumatic events have occurred after that culminating in the spontaneous uprising in June 4, 1979, which attempted to wrestle freedom and justice this time from Black Neo-colonial rule.

The early days of the PNDC government were times of great sacrifice but by the time we, as NDC, a political party, handed over power to the present Government, we had restored Ghana’s pride and had regained the respect of the international community. When therefore we handed over power to the present government, we wanted a genuine cooperative handover, a milestone in Ghana’s political history. Instead, we were criminalised and we continue to suffer indignity and persecution.

In what sort of country do we celebrate this 6th March? Ghana is faced with pervasive corruption at all levels, missed opportunities for genuine progress, nepotism, tribalism and known cases of political torture and killings.

There is also decay of our local industry, the breakdown of our educational system, and an empty façade of “good governance” which earns the applause of those who seek to control us.
I deeply regret that I cannot therefore join Kufuor’s government for this anniversary. My conscience and my principles will not permit me. I cannot share the same platform with the same people who have taken every opportunity to denigrate us for the last seven years and see no good in what we did for this country. And I cannot be part of a cover up for the defilement and violations of the principles of self respect, pride and hope that underlie 6th March 1957.
I repeat my criticism of certain international powers, as well as sections of the international and local media, who have tried many times to gloss over or cover up the difficulties we face in the country today, all in a bid to whitewash the present government.

They will, in the long term, be doing the people of Ghana a great disservice. To them, I say that I cannot relinquish my present unshakeable belief that Ghana is merely being made a “show-case” whiles so many people are being denied the basics of life and their freedoms but cannot find the courage to speak up because they have been terrorised into a state of subjugation. A planned peaceful vigil and procession by followers and admirers of Kwame Nkrumah to commemorate the anniversary has even been disallowed and threatened by this government.
So fellow Ghanaians, let us soberly reflect on our present circumstances; let us make this 50th Anniversary of our Independence a pledge to each other to consolidate social justice, integrity, honesty as the basis for the years ahead.

Because when all the celebration is over, we still have to ask ourselves where we are going to get our next job, our next meal and money for rent and our children’s school fees and hospital fees.
I wish you a reflective 50th Anniversary.Jerry John Rawlings Former President of the Republic of Ghana March 3, 2007

Source:Victor Emmanuel Smith, Special Assistant and Director of Public Affairs

I had 3 secret meetings with Rawlings – Kufuor

Daily Guide -- After six long years of silence on the real undercurrents in his ever-worsening stormy relationship with the former President, Jerry John Rawlings, President John Agyekum Kufuor has decided to tell the world why, where and how it all started.

Speaking with Kwame Sefa Kayi, host of the Kokrokoo Morning Show on Peace FM, yesterday March 2nd , 2007 from his West Airport private residence, President Kufuor disclosed that he had had three secret meetings with the ex-president at various locations in the country, and that all the meetings were at the instance of Rawlings.He said it was when he took a firm stance and refused to be ‘kicked about’ by not attending such meetings that his predecessor took offence.The President’s revelation may put to rest the years of speculation in the media as to what actually caused the bad blood between Rawlings.

President Kufuor who had been bad-mouthed by the main opposition political party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a number of times, said soon after the 2001 handing-over ceremony, Rawlings invited him to meet him at the house of one elder statesman in Tema, to which he obliged, even though it was not the best decision.“The elder statesman, in whose house we met in Tema is alive today,” he told Kwame Sefa Kayi.

The second meeting, according to President Kufuor, took place in the house of another elder at the Airport Residential Area in Accra and once again he accepted to answer Rawlings’ call even though some New Patriotic Party (NPP) leaders were against the business of Jerry Rawlings calling the shot. And as a clue, the president hinted that the owner of house that hosted them in Accra had died not too long ago. “For the third time,” he went further, “the former president asked me to meet him in the house of a traditional ruler in Kumasi, and once again, the meeting took place,” he said.

Even though he would not be drawn into the details of discussions at the three secret meetings, the President said he decided not to honour further any such meetings because they did not only disregard protocol but show affront to the presidency as well.His refusal to honour subsequent meetings, he explained, incurred the displeasure of Rawlings. Asked whether it was necessary to send an emissary to invite the man who had been cold towards him for the Golden Jubilee anniversary, he said he had every respect for the position of a former president because he too would be one soon and would like to be respected when his time was up.

“I can’t close my eyes and pretend there is no former president in this country because whether we like it or not, he too once served this country,” he explained, noting that in spite of the differences in ideology between his party and the Convention People’s Party (CPP), no one could run away from the fact that Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was a great leader. President Kufuor pointed out that this was a Jubilee Year, and expressed his willingness for reconciliation in the national interest.

On the celebrations, he said it was unfortunate that those criticizing it were talking as if government had stopped functioning in the various sectors, and disagreed that the $20million being spent was too much. “We like to compare ourselves with Malaysia because we attained independence with them almost the same time.I believe they might be spending billions of dollars in July this year for a similar celebration. Our neighbours in Cote d’Ivoire have a whole Presidential Village.

Nkrumah put up Job 600, which could cost some $50million today,” he said. According to him, the celebration was necessary, not because poverty had been completely eradicated in the country, but largely because for 50 years, Ghana had remained one entity while many others had gone to war and were on the brink of disintegration. He admitted that being president was not that easy, but observed that his government had accomplished a lot in the past six years.

President Kufuor catalogued the National Health Insurance Scheme, the West African Gas Pipeline, the Capitation Grant and the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), boasting that no government had done quality roads in the country within such a short span of time. He, meanwhile, expressed confidence that those criticizing the celebrations were by far in the minority to those who supported it.
Source:Daily Guide

Kufuor wants to hugs Rawlings

President John Agyekum Kufuor has offered an olive branch to former President Jerry John Rawlings.
Speaking to BBC’s hour-long “Have Your Say” programme hosted by Peter Biles, Kufuor said he and Rawlings must let bygones be bygones and forge a relationship on a clean slate.
The interview, conducted at the Castle, Osu last Wednesday February 28, would be aired on television, internet and radio on Sunday, March 4, at 2.00pm.

A source close to the BBC, told Daily Guide that an avalanche of questions on about 30 pages of internet space were thrown at the Chairman of the African Union (AU) and Ghanaian President.
The President pointed out that there had been slips here and there from both sides, but the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Ghana’s independence, in his view, called for a ceasefire and the forging of new beginnings.

Kufuor noted, according to our source, that it was in this spirit that he dispatched 8 eminent citizens to the former president to invite him to the celebrations on Tuesday, March 6.
He hinted that although Rawlings was yet to confirm his participation in the upcoming events, he was confident that the former president would be part of all the activities lined up for the jubilee in a spirit of oneness.

The president, Daily Guide learnt, emphasised his position in his maiden speech in 2001 when he stated that he would treat his predecessor as he would want to be treated.
Responding to several other questions, the President stressed his vision for Ghana and Africa.
On Ghana, he reiterated that infrastructural development and private sector development were necessary for the rapid development of the country.

hese, he said would place it in a competitive advantage over the rest of the world. Ghana, he added, was still blazing the trail of leadership, as highlighted at independence.
He noted also that his agenda was to show good leadership which would impact positively on its neighbours and other African countries.

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