Rawlings Attacked

Alhaji B.K. Adama, a Defence Minister in the Busia Administration has sharply criticised the government of Flt. Lt. Rawlings.

In an interview with THE GHANAIAN CHRONICLE, Alhaji Adama said he regretted the way Ghanaian society has been polarised and cautioned President Rawlings against further politicisation of the army. He recounted a historic statement made by General Pelli, the last British Commander of the Ghana Armed Forces, who told Dr. Nkrumah that the military should not be drawn into politics, a statement which Dr Nkrumah failed to heed to to his own peril.

Alhaji Adama, a member of the Council of Elders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) called on the CPP and UP to unite. He recalled that during World war II when they were threatened by a common danger, the western democracies teamed up with communist Russia to crush fascist Germany. "They felt it was necessary at that time to sink their differences and face the threat of Hitler together", he emphasised. He explained that since the CPP and UP have co-existed for a long time they know each other very well. This should make it possible to tolerate and accommodate the others' shortcomings or weaknesses to ensure smooth partnership in the interest of the nation. "I think it will work. Those who reject the alliance will regret it he stressed".

Of President Rawlings, Alhaji Adama said: "he has a hidden agenda. He wants to provoke us, instigate chaos, and use such situation to stage another coup". He concluded by calling on the opposition groups to help prevent this by coming together to defeat Rawlings at the polls next year.

Quote ***** African leaders nowadays are very greedy for power.... But power is a "prostitute", it cannot stay in one place, it's supposed to circulate. If one person wants to hang on to it, definitely, there will be problems. - Voice of a Liberian refugee. [Source: "Arms to fight, arms to protect", a publication by PANOS]