Rawlings won't be problem

When the nine-member National Reconciliation Commission begins its arduous task of reconciling a polarised Ghanaian society July 1, it may not find any difficulty getting the man regarded as the main target of the whole process, Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings and members of his government to appear before it.

Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Nana Akufo-Addo says he is encouraged by the former president’s show of respect for the Commission and declaration of readiness to testify before it if need be.

The former president is on record to have said that he is prepared to testify before the Commission.

“It is encouraging. In many people’s eyes, he is the target of what we are doing. If he is prepared to come forward to co-operate with the Commission, I am finding it difficult to believe who else is going to be in the position to say he will not come forward,” Nana Akufo-Addo told a press conference, Tuesday.

The A-G expressed optimism that Ghana’s reconciliation process will not run into the kind of problem Nigeria run into in getting high level officials to testify, and cited the former president’s example as a “very encouraging situation,” which will help the process.

Nana Akufo-Addo flanked by his deputy Gloria Akufo (Ms) and Information Minister, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey told reporters that although the Commission has the power to compel witnesses to appear before it, he is encouraged by the fact that the Ghanaian people and indeed the political forces in opposition are supportive of the process of reconciling the nation.

He reiterated that the process of national reconciliation embarked upon by the Kufuor administration is not in any way aimed at the regime of the NDC, as opponents of the process would have the nation believe.

“Our object is not to see the leaders of the NDC before firing squad, that is not the object of this whole exercise. A lot of people find it difficult to believe but the mechanisms that have been put in place will make that clear,” he explained.

In what seemed like the opening of the debate on the time mandate of the Commission, Nana Ado noted that the Kufuor administration is not interested in dwelling on the nation’s past neither is the Commission tasked to conduct an examination of the past. Instead, the process is to “build a better future for us all.”

In response to criticisms that the 18-month duration given the Commission to present its report to the President is inadequate, the A-G said the NPP administration does not intend to drag the exercise into the election year else the government is criticised for using it as a political instrument.

To him, an open-ended enquiry that goes on and on is not in the interest of the nation. Although the Commission, which is scheduled to do its work at the old Parliament House, is at liberty to ask for extension of the time with an executive instrument, Nana Addo said, “We do not need an examination of our country.”