We Are Tired - Ghanaians Tell Rawlings And Kufuor

A cross section of the Ghanaian public The Mail newspaper has spoken to, has expressed dissatisfaction about the conduct and behaviour of Ghana’s two former Heads of State; John Agyekum Kufuor and Jerry John Rawlings.

The two former occupants of the Osu Castle have been at each other’s throats for some time now, and their continuous childish public display of disaffection for each other, seems to be getting on the nerves of just almost any Ghanaian with a sense of national pride. “I don’t want to blame anybody, but I tell you, it’s a shame. This is getting out of hand.

Are we going to continue behaving like this, come on, I think Ghana deserves better than this,” a virtually worn out consumer of the Rawlings/Kufuor show told The Mail.The latest stroke that seems to have broken the proverbial camel’s back was about 10 days ago, when Mr. Rawlings accused Mr. Kufuor of paying a journalist $10,000 to do “dirty” work for his government. During an opportunity for the NDC founder to showcase Ghana in Burkina Faso, he used the opportunity rather to dredge out the justifications for June 4 and December 31 even as Ghana is now one of the leading democracies in Africa. In the process he dwelt considerably on attacking ex-president Kufuor and his administration.

Perhaps having had enough and quite uncharacteristically, the office of ex-President Kufuor quickly responded to the allegations and called on Rawlings to watch his tongue and stop the maligning capers. The office of Rawlings, spoiling for a fight, again jumped in with a rebuttal in less than 24 hours after Mr. Kufuor’s response, saying while he, Rawlings stood by his claim that “a journalist was paid USD 10,000 a month” he was happy to note that Kufuor’s response served as a indication of the cap fitting where it belongs, insisting that former President Kufuor had not denied that his government was “extremely corrupt”

Clearly trying to provoke Kufuor and draw him out into more public war of words, Rawlings’ “re-joinder” stated: “President Kufuor has no reputation to protect and should not attempt to create a non-existent reputation for himself by issuing such responses.

His government was so embarrassingly corrupt its own party Chairman lamented the greed of the President in seeking to directly receive kick backs from some of his Ministers.”For many people The Mail spoke to, this is a spat gone too far, and the two, but especially Rawlings, must be called to order. Some have also asked what the current President, Professor Mills is saying about this most “disgraceful” behavior being put up by his two predecessors. An agitated observer said to The Mail: “They do not have to be friends; but they must be polite to each other, if for nothing, but because of the high office they once occupied.

This is disgraceful” Some less charitable observers have put the blame squarely on the doorstops of Rawlings, because, “he is the one going about insulting everybody, including ex-President Kufuor and even President Mills.”

Ever since he burst on Ghana’s political scene with a botched mutiny on May 15 1979, Mr. Rawlings has held himself up as a symbol of the “Anger of the People” for which reason he has shown scant regard for all but those who kow-tow to him.

He has also developed his own conception of “Justice” which he purveys with messianic zeal. Whether as a symbol of the “Anger of the People” or as the messiah for “Justice” he has been a very divisive figure in Ghana’s politic. His words never sooth nor unite and this current war of words which he instigated with Kufuor is in character … As it also is destabilizing ….