Rawlings urges factual presentation of election trial

Ghana's former President, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings, has called on media commentators on the election petition, to present the facts as they are being told in court and desist from twisting and reshaping facts to fit into people's prejudices and political agendas.

The former President said when facts are twisted it does not augur well for Ghana's future and stability.

President Rawlings made the comments during a courtesy call on him by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in Accra on Friday.

The former President said: “It is beginning to seem as if people are listening only to what they want to hear and not the findings and evidences that are being provided daily. This is not right.”

Otumfuo Osei Tutu is in Accra to deliver a lecture on the topic: Advancing Together”, under the auspices of the National Council for Civic Education (NCCE) as part of its annual Democracy Lectures.

President Rawlings commended the Asantehene for accepting the invitation to the deliver the lecture.

“I am grateful that you have agreed to speak so that we wake up to our human responsibility. Africa has problems and Ghana has its fair share. I daresay that too much power and money has been in the hands of a few too many wrong people. And that is what has led to the undermining of some of our values, especially human values.

Nothing will be more welcome, than your decision to come and give this lecture so that it will begin to stimulate people".

The former President said money is replacing respect and it is undermining human values. The situation, he stated, calls for a wake up call.

He referred to Pope Francis' recent admonishment that money had become the silent tyrant and described it as a profound statement coming from the new Pope.

The Asantehene commended President Rawlings for the role he played in re-instituting constitutional democratic governance in Ghana and said it was proper that he called on the former President for his input during the lecture.

Otumfuo said President Rawlings had done so much for Ghana's socio-political development and still had a lot to offer the country.

Present at the meeting were Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, NDC Deputy General Secretary Kofi Adams, the Akyempemhene, Nana Aduse-Poku and a retinue of Chiefs from the Ashanti Kingdom.