PV Obeng saved NPP from prosecution - Rawlings

Former President Jerry John Rawlings has expressed concern about certain decisions taken by the late Senior Presidential Adviser, Paul Victor Obeng, on how to deal with the members of the immediate New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.

Mr. Rawlings said PV Obeng advised the late President Atta Mills – when he won the election in 2008 – not to investigate what he (Jerry) described as “misdeeds and atrocities” committed by the former NPP regime.

According to him, “It was unfortunate that he joined those who advised Professor Mills not to investigate the misdeeds and that atrocities that took place before we came in the second time. Had it happened, had these investigations and enquiries happened to write the true history of injustice, the history of this country won’t be different. Nevertheless, it won’t take away how good he was as to whether that decision was good or wrong; let’s leave it to history to judge.”

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) founder made the remarks when he visited the family house of the late PV Obeng in Tema yesterday to express his condolences to the bereaved widow, children and the family.

According to him, Mr. Obeng’s movement from one ministry to another to help ministers and ensure that they performed the duties allocated to them, contributed to his deteriorating health.

Mr. Rawlings noted, “He was very energetic even to the neglect of his health. He is asthmatic like my wife, but PV Obeng’s own was too much. He was helping others, doing other things together and helping the nation. The last time I came to this house I drew his attention to it. It doesn’t surprise me that he had died.”

He described the former Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) as a very precise person who executed actions on time, stating that it was very unfortunate the country lacked people like him.

“Mr. PV Obeng was among the best and I think he could do very well to become the best, but much as he carried a good ranch in one hand, I know he also carried monkey ranch in his other hand,” he said.

Mr. Rawlings called on Ghanaians and politicians, for that matter, to be patient and do a little better than they did in the past to achieve the standard Mr. Obeng achieved.