Rawlings deserves praise as well - Asantehene

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has asked critics of President Jerry John Rawlings, to also have the courage to give him the praise he deserves for the good work he has done for the country.

"Governance is about issues. If you hate the person, don't mix it up with his work. President Rawlings has done a lot for thepeople of Ghana and he must be praised instead of condemned," Otumfuo Osei Tutu said.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu was speaking at the Manhyia Palace, Kumasi, when the President and his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, paid a courtesy call on him. He said he had observed that the critics only talked bad things about the President and never mentioned his good deeds andthat of the government.

He cautioned politicians in particular to recognise that politics was about issues and not fighting and asked them to accord President Rawlings credit for devoting his life to save Ghana. He stated that it would serve a better purpose and provide good bases for assessing the performance of the National Democratic Congress if politicians concentrated on the past eight years of democratic rule.