Rawlings Advised To Steer Clear Of Vilification

The Minority in Parliament on Thursday urged the former President Jerry John Rawlings and his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings to remain steadfast and not allow themselves to be drawn into media exchanges with their accusers.

Mr Alban Bagbin, the Minority Leader, in a statement said; “the Minority has expressed to the ex-President their concern that he and the former First Lady be not drawn into media exchanges with their accusers especially since this could serve as the diversion, which the government needs badly at this time when their lack of a clear sense of direction has led to a severe deterioration in the quality of life of the average Ghanaian family.”

Mr Bagbin said; “the attention of the Minority in Parliament has been drawn to a front-page story in the Crusading Guide of Tuesday July 30, 2002, entitled ‘Time up for the Rawlingses.”

He said; “the story was clearly a repeat of accusations levelled against former President Jerry John Rawlings and the former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, which the same Crusading Guide had previously published.

“It is on record that the allegations have been denied as baseless and malicious. The former First Lady has petitioned the National Media Commission (NMC) for redress.

“On his part, the editor of the Crusading Guide, Mr Kwaku Baaku, has stated that he has presented his allegations against the former President and Nana Konadu to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for investigation.”

Mr Bagbin said, “in the view of the Minority, therefore, the re-cycling and publication of the same accusation over and over again when the matter has been referred to constitutionally, established bodies of the NMC, SFO and CHRAJ is rather unfortunate and reinforces the view that the Crusading Guide is out to provoke, vilify and humiliate the former First Family at all costs.”

The Minority expressed confidence in the NMC, SFO, CHRAJ and other constitutional bodies to continue to act in accordance with the rule of law and the principles of fairness and not pander to any undue political influences, he said.