General News of Friday, 15 September 2017

Source: starrfmonline.com

It’s impossible to unseat Akufo-Addo in 2020 – Rawlings

Former President Jerry John Rawlings and President Akufo-Addo exchanging pleasantries Former President Jerry John Rawlings and President Akufo-Addo exchanging pleasantries

Former president Jerry John Rawlings doubts the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) will do just one term in power.

Rawlings, who ruled Ghana for close to two decades, is so far impressed with the achievements of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, but stressed there is more room for improvement.

The Akufo-Addo-led administration has been pragmatic in dealing with the canker of illegal small scale mining popularly known as Galamsey and has backed the campaign with a joint police-military task force (Operation Vanguard) to police it.

It has also rolled out its widely publicized Free Senior High School Education policy which scraps tuition and feeding fees at the second cycle level, the paperless systems at the ports and the Registrar General’s department and a National ID card project among others.

Rawlings, who is the founder of the largest opposition party – the National Democratic Congress (NDC) – believes if the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition sustains its performance it will be difficult for his party to return to power come 2020.

“These people think they can unseat this man [Akufo-Addo] in 2020?” the former military ruler quizzed in an interaction with the CEO of EIB Network, Bola Ray (Nathan Kwabena Anokye Adisi), when the latter called on him to officially invite him to the launch of his biography come September 21, 2017.

“You think it’s not possible?” Bola Ray quipped.

“NPP? After only four years? No!” Rawlings stressed.

“You think they are going for eight years?” Bola Ray followed up of which Rawlings subtly replied in the affirmative. “If they do well in enough… And so far it doesn’t look too bad,” Rawlings observed.

He was concerned about the environment and feels more could be done to address issues about that sector.