Life would’ve been harder for me without ‘benevolent’ Jospong’s financial help – Rawlings reveals

Former President Jerry John Rawlings has openly admitted that but for the occasional intervention of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Jospong Group of Companies, Joseph Siaw Agyapong, he would not have able to shoulder some of his financial responsibilities, MyNewsGh.com can report.

In an event covered by MyNewsGh.com in Accra, Mr Rawlings who has come to be known for his candour shocked everyone who attended Zoomlion Jospong Group of Companies’ 2019 Annual Thanksgiving Service at the companies’ head office in Accra, that he depends on Joseph Siaw Agyapong to pay for medical bills, school fees and even contributions to funerals. In the assessment of Mr Rawlings who is also the founder of the largest opposition party (NDC), one word or phrase to describe Mr Joseph Siaw Agyapong is “kind-hearted”.

“This man has a very kind heart. So medical situations, funerals and children’s fees that I have had to deal with…I could not have handled if people like him were occasionally not assisting”, he revealed. Mr Rawlings was the Special Guest of Honour.

Commending Jospong for creating jobs and transforming waste management in Ghana, the former President observed that JOSPONG thought like a true businessman, from a kiosk man who needs to be appreciated who picked the worse kind of job in the country and has almost made a success of it.

“The man God has given him some talent and I am grateful we have such people. He picked the worse kind of job in this country and has almost made a success of it”, he praised.

Rawlings has been known not to shy from standing up for people who stood for him at some point. In March this year, MyNewsGh.com published a story about how Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong accused the former President and his wife Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings of using their influence to shield the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Air Ghana, Mr. Marwan Traboulsi whom he alleged was engaged in ‘dubious’ airport cargo contracts and the former family were resisting a review of the said contracts, as it was a rip-off of the Republic of Ghana and has been running since July 2012 when it was signed.

Kennedy Agyapong also claimed that Mr, Traboulsi was abusing the said contract with national security officials at the airport looking on helplessly because of the ‘powers’ behind the businessman.

The outspoken MP further asserted that the aviation businessman was in the habit of “throwing his weight” around the Airport and being arrogant to even national security officials to the extent of them being denied entry to search his Cargo yard “because he is a crony to the former President Rawlings and his wife”.

Rawlings replied the allegations while addressing some party faithful at the Arts Centre two days later. Mr. Rawlings, not mincing his words, described Marwan Traboulsi as a “brilliant and efficient person who turned around cargo handling operations at the airport.”