Mills' Death: I pity former President Rawlings - Pratt

“Quite frankly and quite honestly, what I feel towards former President Rawlings is pity. I pity him.” That is according to the Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr.

Mr. Pratt believes Ghanaians must be sad for what has become of a man who has ruled the longest in the history of Ghana. He made these comments on Breakfast XYZ on Thursday.

Former President J.J. Rawlings was on the BBC moments after the government announced the demise of President JEA Mills on Tuesday July 24, 2012.

He told the BBC that had President Mills received wise counsel and done something wiser, his life on earth could have been prolonged six or seven months longer.

But Mr. Pratt said: “I had elected not to talk about former President Rawlings. One, because it is totally unnecessary. Now everybody knows who he is… He himself has written his own testimonial. I mean if you go and speak on the BBC, what you say is available to the whole world.”

He said the subsequent inscriptions of Mr Rawlings in the Book of Condolence for President Mills typifies what has become of a man who could have become a powerful international leader.

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“For somebody who has been in power for the length of time that he has been in power; for somebody who has been acclaimed as the founder of the ruling party and so on, and for who he is, I think it is most unfortunate that at this time of his life all of these developments have occurred; and I think that he should be pitied,” Mr. Pratt said.

He indicated that rather than castigate Mr. Rawlings and drag his name in the mad, the attitude of Ghanaians towards the former president should be one of sadness and pity.

“It is sad that he has come to this level; exceedingly sad that he has come to this level. I don’t feel like condemning him. I don’t feel like doing what everybody else is doing to him because it is very, very sad that he has come to this level.”

He said he wishes that something could be done to salvage Mr. Rawlings' damaged reputation and make him rise again, saying, “I genuinely wish that he can be saved from, from…I think I will keep it at that.”

On whether President John Dramani Mahama must do everything to bring the Rawlingses back to the NDC fold, Mr. Pratt said it is entirely up to the former first couple to show the way.

“It is not up to His Excellency John Dramani Mahama to bring him on board… The Rawlingses will have to decide for themselves what they want to do. And if they decide for themselves what they want to do, I’m quite sure that everybody within the NDC will be exceedingly happy if they decide to return and to play a positive role.”**