I was surprised ‘unyielding’ Rawlings joined the military – Joyce Aryee

A childhood acquaintance of former president Jerry John Rawlings has said she was surprised that the late leader joined the army.

According to Joyce Aryee, a former secretary of information during the PNDC–era, the young Rawlings she knew in school was unyielding to authority and was often rebellious.

“What I recall very much was that he did not yield easily to authority, I was surprised that he went to the army. He was one of those naughty boys. There would always be something that he wouldn’t like and he would rebel and so on and so forth,” she said on Joy FM’s morning program.

She however added that much of Rawlings’ acts of defiance were among his peers. “… he did so more within his year group. I was so much senior.

“I never had a problem with him, me being an authority figure – I was the senior prefect then – I never had a problem with him but those who were in his class mentioned certain things,” she added.

Joyce Aryee served in different capacities under Rawlings. Aside being secretary of information, she also held Education and Local government portfolios.

She served as head of Ghana’s Chamber of Mines for a decade, between 2000 - 2011. She is currently the Executive Director of Salt and Light Ministries - a para-church organization.