Rawlings died feeling betrayed - Confidant

A close associate of the late ex-President Jerry John Rawlings, Group Captain Richard Fordjour has revealed that fallout from a book by one of his (Rawlings) former Ministers, Kwamena Ahwoi detailing his working relationship with Mr. Rawlings hit him hard in his last days.

The book, titled “WORKING WITH RAWLINGS” which addresses some backstories and dark sides of the Rawlings’ administration till he handed over power to the New Patriotic Party(NPP) government in 2000 sparked several controversies immediately after it was launched.

The content forced other loyalists of Mr. Rawlings such as the Chairman of the Volta Regional Council of Elders of the NDC, Dan Abodakpi to jump to the defence of the former President.

He described the contents as “wholly inaccurate or patently false.” According to him, having read some excerpts of the book, he came to the conclusion that “this is a perilous, ill-timed submission at this point in our Party’s history,” adding “It is in fact, in several instances, a factually wrong and dangerous aberration likely to create tensions in and out.”

Speaking at a vigil at the Airforce Officers Mess in honour of ex-President Rawlings who was an Airforce Pilot, Group Captain Fordjour who was a friend of the former Leader for 40 years disclosed that Mr. Rawlings went to his grave feeling betrayed by some persons he worked with.

“In his very last days, he felt betrayed. That book that was written and the response from those he worked with really hit him very hard. We did our very best to restrain him from responding but it was a big blow to him. Then comes the mum’s death, and that also hit him very hard and getting the benefit of hindsight, his last days were not the best aside from the medical condition that deteriorated.”