Professor Ransford Gyampo, Director of European Studies at the University of Ghana, has said former President Jerry John Rawlings must be told that he cannot continue to disrespect Ghanaians, including all his successors, and expect to be respected.
According to him, since leaving office after the 2000 elections, Mr Rawlings has victimised all other presidents that have come, and accused them of corruption without a shred of evidence.
Prof Gyampo’s comments follow an apology rendered to former presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and John Mahama by Mr Ralwings for describing them as “evil” and “rogue” during an interaction with chiefs and elders from Mepe in the Volta Region last Tuesday when the traditional leaders visited to invite him to the final funeral rites of Mamaga Awusi Sreku II, queen of the Mepe Traditional Area.
Mr Rawlings had said during the visit that if going to heaven meant sharing the place with Mr Mahama and Mr Kufuor, then he was better off going to hell.
But in a U-turn, Mr Rawlings issued a statement saying he has withdrawn his comments and has rendered an apology to the two former Ghanaian leaders.
The statement read: “The office of former President Jerry John Rawlings wishes to inform the general public that the former President has taken due note of concerns raised over certain publications arising out of a meeting he held with a delegation of chiefs and elders from Mepe in the Volta Region last Tuesday.
“The former President apologises to former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and John Dramani Mahama for the choice of words. He deems the words as inappropriate and withdraws them.”
Commenting on the issue on Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM hosted by Chief Jerry Forson on Monday, 28 May, Prof Gyampo said although Mr Rawlings has apologised, he must be told that he cannot continue abusing people.
“Rawlings speaks as if he is sacrosanct but he is not. There were several corrupt practices under his administration. I remember he issued a white paper to counteract a report by CHRAJ that indicted some of his officials in various corruption scandals.
“He and his wife abused the rights of Ghanaians, but in all of these Ghanaians have forgiven them, yet he continues to talk this way.
“He also engaged in several corrupt practices right from the AFRC days through to PNDC/NDC days but we have forgiven him, yet he continues to behave this way”, Prof Gyampo said.
He added: “Sometimes, I feel disappointed in the various civil society groups, the Christian Council of Ghana, the chiefs and other traditional leaders who are unable to tell him that his way of doing things are questionable.”
Source: classnews
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
Thank you Prof. You have hit the nail right on the head ,sometimes i wonder if Mr. Rawlings even thinks before he talks on the subject of corruption. We can start with his dear wife Nana who abused power to acquired state assets claiming its 31st December that owns those things and he thinks he can talk about corruption and abuse of power please Mr Rawlings give us a break . This platform is not enough for me to letter you out if you believe you are clean let your office schedule Q & A time on corruption and lets see how much of you will remain. You let me rest my case.
Those who are insulting Prof Gyampo are wrong and narrow minded. People like, yaw, sm and fatcobra are senseleeees. Ask Rawlings where are all the BILLIONS OF CEDIS he collected from some companies, factories, timber merchant's and some privite business men and, and put it in special accounts. Where are those monies? his wife own Nsawam canary factory. You guys don't know what happened in JUNE 4TH and 31ST DECEMBER and what he did as a leader. Only fuuuuuls will insult Prof Gyampo. Because President Kuffuor left PNDC government after working with Rawlings for six month. Because PNDC leadership was not good and was totally rot and because of that Mr Kuffuor left.
we are in 2018. analysing issues based on somebody's tribe wont make you look smart or successful
@sm ; You are wrong BIG TIME !!!! because rendering an apology to somebody does not mean your perception about somebody or something anything has changed ; the word apolody is a subjective word and can be used in different context besides you can never hold anybody to his apology ; any body can apologise but never mean it !!!!; Dr Gyampo is correct in raising the issue of stoooooopid insinuations by this ewe krooked ;tribalist ; corrupt leader from the Volta REgion should never stop because JJ Rawlings is heastrong full who never forgives ; very ***barred word*** of success and thinks everybody who is succcesful is a corrupt ; what did this tribalist full do for ewe s in the VOlta Region when he was in power ; did he not set up the ewe mafia in all the powerful positions in Ghana and what did that end ewes because today they are one of the poorest regions in Ghana besides what did Jon Mahama do for the people of the North and like his father before him stole the monies to go build properties in Dubai; his the blockhead Ibrahim who has no sense rather goeas to buy private jet which he rarely uses whilst the people in the north ;what did JJ Rawlings do with the Abacha monies of $5million ; today he calls other people corrupt ;evil and stillers ; if anything JJ Rawlings is the cause and foundation of all the ills we see today in Ghana ; we should all rise up and tell this aimles ewe tribalist corrupt iditic full to ***barred word*** and behave like a states man because he is one who will never be allowed in heaven ,
Professor Ransford Gyampo is very corrupt and senseless, he must be a stomach professor looking how he will fill his big tummy. Gyampo has no moral right to talk about Rawlings, does he understand when a statement has been withdrawn with apology?? what else do you want from Rawlings??? he is just looking for a cheap publicity, people are talking and u also want to just talk some..
What relevance does this make. The man has done the most honourable thing by apolgising to both Presidents Kufour and Mahama. Then you come up with this utter rubish. Can't we move on as a nation? Many so called leaders like this Gyampo strive for nothing but cheap popularity.
This is the problem I have with Ghanaians,if somebody do something wrong and he is being told, you still have people from the blind side of issues to defend,wasn't it glaring in Rawlings Administration about massive corruption.
Rawlings has damaged his brand and becoming irrelevant in Ghana politics and governance. He's now being disrespected by his party and many people just because he can't manage his behavior.
he is the mother of insults in Ghana politics. and if you are observant that is how all members and communication people talk about thier opponetse
This prof lacks home sense. The IEA which he works for is one of the most corruption tainted institutions around! Yet he speks lots of trash about other individuals!!