A leading member of the youth wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has urged ex-president Jerry John Rawlings and his friend – turned antagonist, Major Boakye Djan, the former spokesman for the defunct Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) to leave the nation alone in peace.
Mr. John Boadu, the national youth treasurer said the trading of accusations between the two “self-proclaimed heroes” of an administration characterized by all forms of atrocities is nothing to benefit the country.
Speaking in an interview with The Chronicle in Accra, Mr. Boadu said it was unfortunate that the two personalities who were at the helm of affairs in the era of AFRC, should say such weird things against each other.
“These accusations and counter accusations are weird and childish, especially when the former president said he created Boakye Djan and described him as a coward among other things.”
Mr. Boadu said Boakye Djan has also over simplified the events taking into consideration the role that he played during the reign of AFRC, especially with regards to the killing of the former generals.
Mr. Rawlings in an interview with The Chronicle said, “Look, the man is useless, I created him and gave him political life by naming him into the council. He is claiming to be a hero now because his name was mentioned in the radio announcement. The hero claims of Boakye Djan are absolutely hollow because the event of June 4 was brought about by hundreds of heroes all over the armed forces and that no single person could have brought it about.” Mr. Rawlings added that though he respects heroic deeds, heroic claims are not his cup of tea.
Boakye Djan on his part told The Chronicle that he was the one who made the ex- president the chairman of the ARFC. “I put his name on board at the Air Force station as the chairman,” denying all the claims of Mr. Rawlings, saying he was involved in all the stages.
Commenting on the demonstration of the NDC in Kumasi on Tuesday, Boadu said, he was glad that it has now dawned on the NDC to organize demonstrations while they have people representing them in the Parliament.
“I am also happy that the demonstration went on peacefully without any counter demonstration like what happened in the reign of the NDC”. He said the issues raised about economic hardships and alleged corruption in the NPP government are nothing other than frustration on the part of the NDC.
He lauded the government for its decision to support the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) with HIPC funds, saying one of the aims of the HIPC is to support health so he sees nothing wrong with this proposal.
Mr. Boadu said he was surprised and saddened by the conduct of the minority in parliament in boycotting the debate on the health insurance bill.
He said the NDC is now biting its fingers because it missed the opportunity to implement the scheme during its administration.
He said with the enthusiasm shown by the people on the NHIS in place of the discredited cash and carry system, the NDC feels uneasy about its inability to introduce it under its government.
