Gov't calls Rawlings to order

The President's Office has issued a stern call-to-order to the office of the former President Jerry Rawlings regarding how they have been ignoring State Protocol and purporting to issue instruction to Ghana's foreign mission, writes The Statesman.

Sources close to the State House have disclosed that emphatic and specific instructions were issued from the Office of the President to the office of the former President to submit himself to the disciplined life of state protocol and stop behaving like a President.

The wrath of the State House was provoked by a call from Ghana's mission in Washington that the office of the former President had called to ask for protocol arrangements for his recent trip to Japan through the US.

The normal practice was for the former President to notify State Protocol, which would have in turn instruct the relevant mission to make the necessary arrangements.

Finding the break in protocol unbearable, the Office of the president called former President Rawlings's office, which confirmed it had sent the message to the mission in Washington. "You have no right to call any of Ghana's missions abroad directly and issue such instructions. You already know the practice and it is for you to first contact State Protocol, OK? Please stop behaving as if Rawlings is still President and respect the present order," was the clear message to one officer at the former President's Office.