I wasn’t part of Mahama’s delegation to Burkina – Rawlings

Former President JJ Rawlings has denied being part of official government delegation to the investiture of the Burkina Faso president Roch Marc Christian Kabore.

An official government communication announced that Rawlings was in Burkina Faso with President John Mahama, General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia and officials of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Foreign Minister Hanna S. Tettey (MP), Interior Minister Mark Woyongo (MP), National Chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC) Bernard Mornah and the National Chairman of the Convention People's Party (CPP).

However, a statement from the Communications Directorate of the office of Rawlings said: “It is unfortunate that the author of the release, privy to the fact that the former President was also travelling to Burkina Faso, albeit in his own capacity and upon a separate invitation decided to play mischief with the content of the official presidential release.”

Below is the full statement:

RE: PRESIDENT MAHAMA TO ATTEND INAUGURATION OF NEW BURKINABE PRESIDENT

The attention of the Communications Directorate of the office of His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings, has been drawn to inaccuracies in a statement issued by the Flagstaff House Communications Bureau, indicating that the former President and his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings were members of the President’s delegation that travelled to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso for the inauguration of Jean Marc Christian Kabore as President of Burkina Faso.

The Directorate wishes to state that the former President and his wife were not members of President Mahama’s delegation and finds the misrepresentation unfortunate.

Outgoing President Michel Kafando invited his Excellency Jerry Rawlings by a letter dated 18 December 2015. The former President and his wife travelled with a delegation including Betty Akuffo-Amoabeng, Kobina Andoh Amoakwa and Joseph Dawson-Otoo.

President Rawlings and the delegation travelled on a military transport aircraft.

It is important to note that upon arrival in Burkina Faso, the former President and his entourage were met by Burkinabe State Protocol and the Ghana Embassy and driven to their hotel and subsequently to the venue for the ceremony.

President Mahama arrived later with the Presidential aircraft and a delegation that included Foreign Minister Hannah Tetteh, Dr. Edmund Dele and others.

It is unfortunate that the author of the release, privy to the fact that the former President was also travelling to Burkina Faso, albeit in his own capacity and upon a separate invitation decided to play mischief with the content of the official presidential release.