Nana Konadu laughs off $5 million bribe story

Former First Lady and wife of Jerry John Rawlings, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings has derisively dismissed a media report claiming she had demanded $5 million from the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) to abandon plans to carry the flag of the newly formed National Democratic Party (NDP) into the 2012 general elections.

Mrs Rawlings insists she has not had any discussion with anybody from the NDC about rumours making the rounds that she was set to lead the NDP against the party her husband founded, let alone haggling over how much would be enough to change her mind.


The Al-Hajj newspaper reported on Thursday that the wife of NDC founder Jerry John Rawlings demanded US$5 million (over GH¢10 million) from the party if she is to be persuaded to step down as a possible flagbearer on the ticket of the NDP in the December polls.


The paper claimed Nana Konadu made those demands when mediators from the NDC impressed upon her to drop her ambition of contesting the crucial elections, a scenario which could split NDC votes.


The NDP was founded by disappointed and/or disenchanted members of the NDC who believe the Mills/Mahama government has failed to live up to the aspirations on which the NDC was founded. Until his death on July 24, 2012 President Mills was often the target of criticism from former President Rawlings and those close to him.


Speaking in a hoarse voice, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, who was Special Guest of Honour at the 6th Anniversary celebration of the Women Encounter Fellowship International in Tema said the speculations will not deter her from achieving the purpose for which God created her.

“Before coming here, I had to go and meet a certain gentleman who is writing some articles for me. And then he asked me ‘Oh, there’s this about you going to collect $5m so that you keep your mouth shut. I said what are you talking about? Then he said ‘let me get the paper from my car.’ He went and picked the paper from his car.


"It was sad for me. They write things that I do not even recognise myself in the papers. Nobody has spoken to me about anything like that. I haven’t told anybody about anything like that. But the man (author of the story) was emphatic. He wants to destroy the purpose for which God has brought me onto this earth, and I will not agree to it,’ she declared to applause.


The Founder and President of Women Encounter Fellowship International, Rev. Mrs. Christiana Agyei called on wives of politicians to avoid any violence in the December polls.


She also advised the youth not to be influenced by the money been given by the politicians to create confusion and violence.


Rev. Mrs. Christiana Agyei urged Ghanaians to see the peace we are enjoying as a privilege and maintain it.