Rawlings reveals how Kufuor scuttled his family planning campaign with ‘mo nwo ba’ crusade

Former President Jerry John Rawlings has accused ex-President John Kufuor of having undermined his campaign for Ghanaians to practice family planning, stressing that while he passionately appealing to Ghanaians to properly plan their families, the latter was also busy encouraging them to give birth to more children notwithstanding their economic circumstances.

In a yet to be fully aired interview with Kwaku Sakyi-Addo, Mr Rawlings expressed frustration at the scuttling of his family planning campaign by Kufour when he (Rawlings) was President.

He noted that he eagerly campaigned for family planning because a lack of it undermined development by starving government of much-needed resources for economic development at the time.

“…And mind you, when I am talking on subjects persistently, like family planning, family planning…it was a subject I always spoke about … because a lack of family planning virtually undermines your development programme; you’re creating starvation for yourself, of resources, et cetera. So when I am, even during the campaign period, advocating for family planning, and there is in the next corner there's another politician saying: “mo nwo ba [give birth to children], mo nwo ba, mo nwo ba,” that’s what’s his name, Kufour for you! How? I am wondering: What the hell is wrong with this guy?…I wouldn’t say this if it wasn’t true!” He told Kwaku Sakyi-Addo in an excerpt of the interview sighted by MyNewsGh.com

Mr Rawlings also revealed that serving as Head of State after his coup and even after he became President was tiresome because he had to be on the ground instead of just issuing instructions.

“It was very tiring business because you were not just enjoying the luxury of just giving orders. You had to be on the ground and have the time to lead things,” he disclosed.