Afotey Agbo shares fondest memories of Rawlings

The Regent of the  Katamanso Paramountcy and MP for the Kpone Katamanso Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, has been sharing some of his fondest memories of the late former President, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings

In an exclusive interview with Atinka News, the legislator and grandson of Nii Laryea Akwteh VIII who was a close confidant of the late president in the 80s, said the President who he had a father and son relationship, was an honest and fearless politician, whose vision was to fight for the voiceless and the less privileged.

He recounted how the late president endured a turbulent time during the erstwhile Kufuor administration when he was treated as an ordinary citizen.

According to Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, in 2001, the late president together with him and Kofi Adams was made to use the public lounge of the Kotoka International Airport instead of the VIP/ VVIP lounge. He said, that embarrassing experience, escalated the rivalry between the late president and former president Kufuor.

He recounted a similar situation in Kumasi during the 5th Anniversary celebration of the Asantehene, Otumfour Osei Tutu in 2006, where a bodyguard of former President Kufuor attempted disarming the bodyguard of the late President Rawlings, while the former looked on.

He recalled that the bodyguards of the former president ended up manhandling the late president’s bodyguard, a situation that infuriated the later to also react by hitting a police commander who had sided with the bodyguards of former president Kufuor.

According to Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, it was a Rawlings idea that he contested the Kpone Katamanso seat, which he won with a landslide vote for the former President involvement in his campaign.

He said working with the late President was fun but hectic, considering how he does his things.

He denied their relationship got strained after he was appointed by former president Mahama as Greater Accra Regional Minister.