JJ Booms At Traitors
Former President Jerry John Rawlings yesterday descended heavily on President Atta Mills and members of his administration, describing them as traitors, giving up any hopes on the ability of the government to restore hope in Ghanaians.
Mr Rawlings could not fathom how the government that he so-much toiled to bring to power and the party he formed, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), had lost its enviable sense of political morality and moral high-ground. He shuddered to believe whether the NDC could win the upcoming elections.
The former president said this year's election 'will create a lot of stress in the country' looking at the 'culture of political selfishness, greed, thievery and ingratitude' that had characterised the political terrain, especially with his own party, the NDC.
According to former President Rawlings, the entire country should ponder over which direction it was headed and should take into account the sacrifices made by the many who laid down their lives, for which reason the country was currently enjoying peace and stability.
That, according to him, was because the party had always won elections on the power of integrity but had now taken the path of corruption.
'We have always won our elections on the power of integrity. Now that they have chosen to monetize everything, how much of a chance do they have, having departed from the weapon and values that sustained our political success?' he asked.
The NDC founder made these comments when he gave the keynote address at a well-attended ceremony to mark the 30 th anniversary celebration of the 31 st December Women's Movement (DWM) at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra yesterday.
An obviously unhappy Mr Rawlings charged: 'How could an NDC government lose its enviable sense of political morality and moral high-ground?' to a rapturous applause and shouts of 'be bold.'
The former President stuck to the prepared text and deviated from the extempore he is noted for in such public speeches.
'So long as they hold on to power and with some of our supporters persistently refusing to see the truth and what should have been done, then it becomes difficult to take back our party,' he said, warning that 'some are justified in saying that those in office are not genuinely minded, NDC spirited, NDC-hearted people and want to destroy the party in favour of something else'.
Jerry John Rawlings
'How can the government, in its desire to hold on to political power, demean itself in such a crass manner? Can we sustain hope and strength in this depraved political atmosphere?' he asked, noting, 'So long as they hold on to power and with some of our supporters persistently refusing to see the truth and what should have been done, then it becomes difficult to take back our party.'According to Mr. Rawlings, those on the side of the NDC were virtually being treated like outsiders in their own party; especially he and his wife, who always had to fight against what he described as one 'enemy' or opposition.
'We are fighting against two enemies - one the perceived enemy and the other one the traitor,' he said, adding that the traitors in the NDC were more dangerous than the party's opponents.
He said since the party could not fight both the opposition and the traitors at the same time, 'one has to go'.
He decried the extent to which the 31 st DWM, which once served as the avenue for propagating the ideals and philosophies of the party, had virtually been neglected by the current administration.
Rather than build on the capacity that the movement brought to the party, the NDC founder stated, 'they have chosen to exclude them and do worse than our so-called 'enemies' were doing between 2000 and 2008'.
On her part, former First Lady and President of the 31 st DWM, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, recounted the difficulties that the movement encountered before its present state.
She recounted several projects that the movement initiated and achieved since its formation in 1981.
Its pet projects included women empowerment, employment creation, setting up of childhood development centres and the provision of water in several communities.
In spite of the several challenges, she said, '30years in the life of such an organization is a period to celebrate with joy,' stating with confidence, 'We are not perturbed by this because we can see a light at the end of the tunnel that will guide and guard women into their self-realization.'
Present at the event were a handful of members of the 'old order,' Dr Mrs. Mary Grant, Samuel Nuamah Donkor and the red beret-wearing members of the 31 st DWM.
Others included Revered Christie Doe-Tetteh who offered prayers for the movement whilst the likes of good old George Darko, Abrantie Amakye Dede and Pat Thomas provided good music for the guests.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu