The Daily Dispatch published a front page story on Monday, under the headline ?1979 Coup Still Significant ? Rawlings?. Part of the story quoted the ex-President as alleging that his successor, President John Agyekum Kufuor is the leader of thieves.
A number of serial callers phoned into some radio stations, accusing the Daily Dispatch of fabricating those quotes. Well, last Wednesday, the Special Assistant to the Ex-President, Mr Victor Smith, in an interview with Peace 104.3 FM?s Kwame Sefa-Kayi confirmed the quotes in Monday?s story.
The ex-president and the founder of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, has echoed that ?let the blood flow? anger in 1979 coup should not be allowed to go waste. He said the eight generals and the three former heads of state were executed because the country was calling for blood and more blood because of ?startling cheating, oppression and mismanagement of the economy. ?I would never have thought that this country would see this kind of corruption again led by the president himself. Kufour, I mean, is the leader of the thieves.
That is why he cannot check anyone who is stealing around him, he added. The ex-president said this at Sunyani during his three-day campaign tour in the Brong Ahafo Region. He advised Ghanaians and NDC sympathizers to be vigilant because the NPP members, according to him are determined to steal the verdict of the people. He said the NPP government wants to subvert and damp the people?s spirit in order not to have confidence in themselves.
This, he explained, has manifested in the way they are playing on the people?s intelligence. The youth are prematurely ageing due to the NPP government?s ?insensitive policies? the ex-president said.
According to him, the only political strategy the Kufour government knows is to use ?lies, cheating and killing to make the populace powerless.? He urged Ghanaians and the youth in particular to chase the NPP government out with their thumbs come December 7, 2004 elections.
