Mr Charles Kofi Wayo, the self-made dollar millionaire, has revealed that he planned to overthrow former President Jerry Rawlings’ government by force, but had to abandon the idea due to an estimated high casualty rate.
He said as an arms dealer, he used his links with intelligence agents in the United States to map out his strategies and that he came down to Ghana with them, who, after intelligence gathering estimated that the battle would take five days with about 17,000 dead.
Wayo made the revelation in an interview on Takoradi-based Skyy Power FM’s Hot Issues programme, monitored in Tarkwa last Saturday. In his usual brusque matter of fact manner, he explained his desire to “free my people” stems from, according to him, “Mr Rawlings doesn’t give a damn about the people. But the same love which he, Wayo, had also prompted him to abandon it because of the former President’s dreaded commandos.
He did not indicate whether the attack would have been executed by mercenaries, nor did he say at what period it was supposed to take place. He, however, expressed relief after Rawlings handed over, otherwise, he would have matched him “fire for fire.”
Mr Wayo pointed out that he does not believe in the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and advocated that Ghana should shift away from them because “they are suffocating us.”
Brimming with confidence, Wayo declared that if given the chance to head Ghana Airways, he would turn it around within six months, adding that Ghana Airways’ problem was bad management. His preference though, is the Energy Ministry.
Blending his American slang with Twi and a little French, he took a swipe at the former President by faulting him for taking 22 cars, contrary to his revolutionary belief. Wayo, who was unsuccessful in his bid to become a Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayawaso Central in the last elections, expressed frustration at the land tenure system in the country.
He said he paid ?200 million to a certain chief to acquire land, but a feud between that chief and another has stalled his plans. Nima-boy, as he is affectionately called, said if during the forensic auditing of GNPC, he and the Chronicle Publisher, Nana Kofi Coomson, had been invited, they would have made startling revelations.
On an alternative to NPP government, he mentioned PNC’s Dr Mahama as a person who cares for people, but quickly added, “NPP also has such, as well.”
