Jerry John Rawlings, former President of Ghana
The issue about the health status of Former President Jerry John Rawlings which became a topical discussion in the run up to the 2016 general elections with executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) explaining why he had been excluded from the campaigns has resurfaced.
It would be recalled that the General Secretary of the party, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia said due to his old age it was not possible to engage in the kind of rigorous campaign as he used to, adding that the party’s founder has paid his dues to the development of both the NDC and the country hence he deserves some respite.
“We have benefited from the toil of this man so at this age he needs to rest for those he trained to do the work”
Other executives claimed the former president was not in the best of health for which reason he had been excluded from the campaign structure of the party as seen in the past, a defence the then opposition capitalised on to make some political gains.
But speaking during a courtesy call on Wa Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV on the eve of the June 4 celebrations, he said “it has been such a long time since the last I came here. I would very much have wished I could be coming more often because I have so many family members here but health has not been the best. I am sure you all recall I had a bit of a heart problem; I am still nursing that heart and living on that is why I cannot take the kind of pressure we could all take when we were younger. Nonetheless, June 4 at the 38th Anniversary is very special to us and when the decision was taken to honour June 4 in Wa I whole heartedly accepted it no matter cost I was going to pay”
