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Baako urges gov't to accept Otabil's critique but reject Rawlings' diatribe

By MyJoyOnline
Politics Baako urges gov't to accept Otabil's critique but reject Rawlings' diatribe
AUG 17, 2014 LISTEN

Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper has urged the government to accept Pastor Mensa Otabil's criticism of the management of the economy but reject ex-president Jerry John Rawlings' accusations of corruption in government.

Drawing a difference between the two, Kweku Baako said the preacherman's message was "a positive advice, they ought to accommodate it, take it on board. Let it inspire you," he urged.

Speaking on Joy FM's Newsfile Saturday, Mr. Baako described former President Rawlings as "difficult to absorb".

Background
At the Festival of Ideas 2014 last Thursday, Dr Otabil, who is the Head Pastor of the International Central Gospel Church,  used the story of the Titanic which sank in April 1912 to illustrate leadership response to crisis.

Dr Otabil had said during that sermon that the leadership skills of the captains of three different ships either led to the loss of lives or protection of same, noting that the complacency of Titanic's captain led to the loss of lives.

He therefore charged political leadership not to adopt the leadership style of captain Smith of the Titanic, who was too confident and failed to do his job.

Accept Otabil
The New Crusading Guide newspaper editor said Dr Otabil's sermon, which has received significant condemnation from the government's communication team, was an apt description of the situation the country finds itself.

“To refuse it is a sign of weakness, and indeed to some extent, arrogance…to think that you are the only one and that you don't want advice from certain quarters.

Kwaku Baako Jnr is asking government and managers of Ghana's economy to take renowned preacher, Mensa Otabil's “sinking ship” sermon seriously.

Reject Rawlings
But the veteran journalist and an eternal critic of former President Rawlings has rejected his tirade against government afteran honorary award was conferred on him by the University of Education, Winneba last Thursday.

The ex-president said it is time for John Mahama to show a clear commitment to fighting corruption in the country.

"Our leaders must be able to play by the book. People with conscience are sometimes appalled by the extreme insensitivity displayed by some political appointees. The unprecedented levels of corruption, offensive show of power and opulence by some at a time when our country requires prudence and frugality is something that I call on President Mahama and his vice to set their eyes on,"

But Baako remains unimpressed.
He said "I  am putting Rawlings in a separate category" and pointed out that when it comes to Rawlings he  "found it difficult to separate the message from the messenger".

Last June 4th,  Kweku Baako accused Rawlings of failing to account for his stewardship from 1981-1992. He has said that  "for ten years there was no audited accounts of Ghana," and for 19 years Rawlings did not give a damn about corruption.

He said Mr Rawlings superintended over the Scancem scandal where an international court even ruled that the government under Mr Rawlings was running a scheme of bribery and corruption.

With the benefit of this track record, Baako admitted he was "hesitant in endorsing what he says".

Rawlings' condemnation of government is not new or peculiar to this government, he observed.

"I do not recall any Ghanaian head of state or president who has not suffered in the hands of Rawlings in terms of  criticism except  himself", he said.

"It makes it difficult to absorb what it says even if it has some substance".

Nonetheless he admitted that "there is some truth in what he is saying" but suggested Rawlings was not the right person to articulate them.

He charged the ex-President to provide evidence to back his claim if it was to be taken seriously.

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Edwin.appiah|[email protected]

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