Kwamena Ahwoi Recounts His Fraught Relationship With Rawlings

Professor Kwamena Ahwoi, a National Democratic Congress (NDC) stalwart, has been recounting some key points of his fraught relationship with ex-President Jerry Rawlings ahead of the launch of his new book, “Working with Rawlings.”

In his book, he confirms that Mr. Rawlings, ahead of the 2008 elections, did try to get him to undermine Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, who had been the NDC’s flagbearer on three occasions after the end of the Rawlings administration.

Mr. Rawlings was also a fierce critic of Prof. Mills and his administration when he became President.

“It was one of the low points in the relationship between myself and President Rawlings because I didn't expect him to do something like this,” Prof. Ahwoi said on the Citi Breakfast Show.

Prof. Ahwoi served as Minister of Local Government and Rural Development from 1990 to 2001 under Rawlings administrations.

He also acted as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1997.

Despite the falling out, Prof. Ahwoi still had high praise for Mr. Rawlings, who was Ghana’s first President of the Fourth Republic after heading a military junta for over a decade.

“Rawlings was a fantastic leader and there was a time that I would have died for him. As at the time we left office in 2001, the relationship between us was just fantastic.”

But the relationship started deteriorating “when we left office and especially when Mills became president.”

Prof. Ahwoi felt he could not turn against Prof. Mills, despite some pressure from Mr. Rawlings.

“I personally was responsible for bringing Prof. Mills into his government. Therefore, I felt a certain personal responsibility towards his success as President.”

“But when President Rawlings started turning against him in the manner that he did, it really upset me and I think that is when deterioration in the relationship began.”

Ahead of the launch of his book on Thursday, July 30, 2020, Prof. Ahwoi said he does not expect Mr. Rawlings at the launch.

But he said he was open to a surprise.

“Knowing Rawlings as I do, he might surprise everybody and put in an appearance.”

---citinewsroom