Rawlings plays at cabinet meetings with his toy planes - Prof Ahwoi

A former PNDC/NDC appointee and local government expert, Professor Kwamena Ahwoi, has said that the former President of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings, was always playing with his toy planes during Cabinet meetings.

In his Working with Rawlings book, the former Minister for Local Government and Rural Development and a close ally of John Dramani Mahama has intimated that whilst serious discussions would be going on at Cabinet meetings, former President Rawlings would rather shift his focus on playing with toy planes he sent to the meetings.

”Oftentimes, he would feign disinterest and be looking through the window or playing with his toy planes” the former minister wrote on page 232 of his Working with Rawlings book.

Professor Ahwoi also on the same page said that the former president lacked knowledge on most of the issues tabled at Cabinet and that would lead him to engage in activities which were not part of such discussions.

”In my encounters with him at PNDC meetings and at Cabinet meetings, I could tell that he did not understand many of the very technical issues that used to be debated”

Professor Ahwoi uncharitably described the former President as a divisive leader who is unable to prolong friendship with others and would want others to see his enemies as their enemies.

“Rawlings is a divisive leader who is incapable of keeping and sustaining friends” he wrote.

Professor Ahwoi in his book, described the former Ghanaian leader as an unfit leader who was always intimidating his subordinates.

Though some key members of the opposition National Democratic Congress who have been mentioned in the book by Ahwoi to have played certain roles have since denied what have been attributed to them, Professor Ahwoi has remained silent on same.

The likes of Dan Abodakpi, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Edward Omane Boamah and Felix Kwakye Ofosu have denied claims made by Professor Kwamena Ahwoi regarding certain events the former Local Government Minister claims happened.

Working with Rawlings has Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang as the one who wrote its foreword.