Rawlings has NOT Been Invited -NRC

Accra, March 10, GNA - National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) on Friday said it has not invited former President Jerry Rawlings to testify before it as published in the Friday March 12 edition of the "Daily Guide" newspaper.

The Accra-based Daily Guide on Friday, March 12, 2004, carried a headline titled: "JJ STORMS NRC AGAIN."

"The truth of the matter is that the Commission has forwarded to the former President extracts from statements by a witness in which an allegation had been made against him for his response," a statement signed by the Commission's Acting Director of Public Affairs, Mohammed Affum, said.

It said the deadline for the submission of the response was March 9, 2004.

The statement said at the close of work by Friday, the Commission received a letter from the Office of the former President, signed by Mr Victor Smith, Special Assistant to the President, requesting for the full statement made by the said witness to enable the former President cooperate with the Commission it its work.

The release said the response did not conform to the Commission's established and published procedures which had been communicated to the former President on countless occasions.

"For the avoidance of doubt, the Commission wishes to state once again that according to its procedures, a person against whom an allegation has been made has to attend at the offices of the Commission to fill a standard statement form and to make a written response to the allegations made against him or her.

"Based on the response, the Commission would decide whether to invite such a person to testify," the statement said adding that in the case of the former President the Commission, on a number of occasions, out of courtesy, sent him the statement forms rather than requiring him to be present at its offices.

"As far as the Commission is concerned, the letter from the office of former President Rawlings does not constitute an appropriate response based on which it would decide to issue him with a hearing notice," it added.

The Commission said while it appreciates the role of the media in informing the public about its work, it expects the media to check information they intend to publish about it with the Public Affairs Directorate "so that accurate and reliable information would be made available to the public."