Rawlings To Undergo Partenity Test?

The Dispatch published pictures and stories of a young man alleged to be a son of Ex-President Rawlings last week. Following the publication, another family came out claiming that the boy was fathered by their family member who is deceased.

In the ensuing confusion, a maternal uncle of the young man, declared his intention to seek a court’s order to impress upon the former President to undertake a paternity test to find the truth or otherwise of the allegation.

The lawyer of former President Rawlings, Mr. Emmanuel Vanderpuye has reacted to allegations that he is the father of a 29 year-old man. Below is the full text of the statement issued by the former President.

“Recently, the banner headline was on a lady relation of the late Houphou-et-Boigny, someone I have never met, and have still not met. These and many other sick-minded allegations, I guess, are all becoming part and parcel of the promised positive change.

In the absence of enough food to feed our people, they use these unworthy stories as distractions. I categorically deny these surprise allegations. People must be very desperate to be sinking so low. If proof were to be provided to expose the foolishness of this claim, where in God’s name will this leave or affect the emotions and sensibilities of this poor but fine young man?

If the young man wants a father figure, he’s welcome to join the many others my wife and I are providing for. However now that we are out of office, we shall gladly share or pass the burden onto His Excellency President and Mrs. Kufuor. On a lighter note, with such an identical looking smile, I’d say that if he were older, we could have considered him to double as my alternate.”