Rawlings' Underwater fortres

Akwamufie -- It takes five minutes to cross by boat to the Akawamufie end of the Volta Lake which lies in the valley that divides the Akosombo and the Akwamufie towns. Some few yards from the port where the only engine boat that transports people across the lake decks, is a palatial underground building that stretches up the hill into the lake.

The owner of this magnificent building whose occupant would enjoy the breeze from the lake is reputed to be ex-President Jerry John Rawlings though. The people of Akwamufie on whose land the fortress mansion has been built insist their neighbour is Flt. Lt Jerry John Rawlings but a well known German friend of ex-president Rawlings, Mr. Hans Hein claims ownership.

Hans Hein’s claim has been dismissed by insiders who say that he cannot afford it, and that if he insists he owns the building, the Internal Revenue Service should be called to investigate him since he is a salaried worker with VRA who just happens to be friends with the President. Furniture is now being brought to the house though the satellite dish has already been installed and a huge generator is expected in weeks.

A boat is on its way from Germany to ease the anticipated commuting needs. Though Chronicle could not gains access to the vast underwater parts of the building, a highly restricted and secured portion, a conservative valuation of the property plus gadgets must run into a billion cedi range. Sources at Akwamufie maintain that Mr. Hans is just a front-man for Mr. Rawlings who they claim had been frequenting the area by boat. His work schedule places him in charge of the Akosombo Port. In his office on thursay he told the Chronicle that the building belongs to him and not his friend Flt Lt. Rawlings (Rtd). He said it had come to his notice that people were going round saying that he was building for Mr. Rawlings.

He said he intends to settle in Ghana with his wife after his retirement and that the building is part of his retirement plans. Several workers who were involved in the construction of the building whom Chronicle tracked down said whiles working on the building the ex-president’s name was dropped as the owner of the building adding, that they had to work round last month to finish it. Akosombo has always been the preferred leisure place for the ex-president Rawlings and his family on their weekend breaks.

The ex-president’s wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman usually chose the town as the venue for her birthday parties. Last year, they partied heavily on the ‘Dodi Princess’, a boat belonging to VRA. VRA officials say that it was because of the ex-president and his family that the office of the Publicity Department of VRA was seized and given to Akosombo Hotel to give the president and his family who frequented the hotel, their privacy. The beautiful view is located on a hilltop where visitors to the Dam could stand and have a full bird’s eye view.

The PR Department has been moved from the area and the premises is now being used by the management of Akosombo Hotel for conferences despite protests from some workers of VRA. Currently, the Department is housed in a corner of the ground floor of a storey building behind Ghana Commercial Bank, Akosombo. Mr. Hans also confirmed the president’s regular visits to the town during interactions with the Chronicle when he said that until his exit, president Rawlings occasionally came to the port for water sports .

The ex-president’s buddy said that Rawlings loved water sports including boating and diving. He said he first came into contact with Rawlings because of his interest in water sports and the fact that he(Hans) is also a water expert. Chronicle gathered that at any time that the president went sporting on the lake he used the “executive yacht” belonging to VRA. His friend had always been the former VRA Chief Executive, Louis Casely Hayford with whom he ‘broke’ a lot of bread at the time. The relationship later extended to his nephew Mr. Ralph Casely Hayford, an intimate friend of The Rawlingses and supplier of amplification hardware for Rawlings party, the NDC and stuff for the Ghana Army.

The German friend of the president said that the last time he saw Mr. Rawlings at Akosombo was when the UN secretary Gerneral, Mr. Kofi Annan, came to Ghana. He said on December 8, when he called the president his phone had been disconnected and that he was yet to get in contact with Michael Susoudis, the nephew of Mr. Rawlings to get Rawlings’ new phone number.

He complained that due to his friendship with the ex-president, the NPP supporters at Akosombo branded him as an NDC man. VRA sources hinted the Chronicle that with his exit, Mr. Rawlings cannot enjoy the same privileges that he enjoyed at the Akosombo port. Others were of the opinion that since he had a passion for water sports, he used Mr. Hans to build the mansion where he together with his family would live occasionally .

The house is supposed to be a hide out for the ex-president and his family and that is why they don’t want anybody to know and that is why I am surprised that you know, Don’t mine Hans, he is lying, he is going on retirement next year and we are aware he is going to join her wife in Germany, why would he build such a house and where did he get money to build such a house”, sources close to Hans told the Chronicle.

Already Chronicle has gathered that in the next few months a boat meant for the ex-president and his family would arrive in Ghana from Germany. Chronicle also took shots of the packing space that had been reserved for the boat. The front view of the building faces the lake and one some of the regular sights is the sight of bare chested fishermen paddling their canoe in search of fish.

The underground compartment of the building is partly inside the lake and painted green with the stairs partly built in the river. The stairs leading to the building is such that the Ex-President after enjoying his favorite water sport will climb up the building straight from the boat since the packing space of the boat is right at the foot of the stairs. Security was highly considered in the location and the architectural designs of the house as bullet proof materials were used. One would either have to get to the mansion by boat or through a winding road that branches to the left after crossing the Adomi Bridge. Any intruder could easily be sighted from a distance. Anonymous sources told the Chronicle Thursday, that the contractor was one Dziwornu, a staff of the VRA.

The sources also hinted that there were trails that pointed to the fact that some VRA materials and resources may have been diverted into the construction of the ‘fortress’ If The Rawlings moves to their “new home,” they would have the pleasure of watching local swimming competitions organized by the people of Akwamufie during holidays, when the locals exhibit their swimming skills by swimming across the lake whose width is said to be about two and half kilometers and its depth 295 feet.

Mr. Hans is said to well versed in security technology and is alleged to be the backbone of the ex-president’s security networks in the area. Others even say he was a German intelligence officer.

Now that we are sure of who owns this fortress we do not want this Rawlings on our land. AKWAMUMAN has suffered too much, from the 1500s The Akwamu Empire was once the biggest in the Ghana.It expanded from present day TWIFO PRASO (Near WINNEBA) to QUIDA near Porto Norvo. This was before any present inhabitants came ( The Ewes from Northern Dahomey, The Gas from Ilefe in Nigeria). We accomodated them and all who came to help us farm our fertile lands. At the end they teamed with the England to conquer and eradicated majority of us. England was mad with us because NANA ASOMANI will not accept and kicked them out and ruled Kingdom.They back about fifty years later to wage a war which almost wiped all the Akwamus out of the kingdom. Since them we have never been unified as before. We have gone through hell but still stand stronger. We have been slaugtered but still breath, Our lands have been illegally taken, we do not want anymore bloodshed on the little that is left for us. Rawlings should stay away for we do not need him as our neighbour. He is too much wahala.