Former President Jerry John Rawlings last Sunday disclosed how President Atta Mills had lamented to him that about 90% of information given to him by his close confidants at the Castle turn out to be lies.
President Mills was said to have made his observations known to ex-President Rawlings some four weeks ago when the two met at the Castle to deliberate on issues affecting the party and his style of leadership.
Rawlings also claimed that Mills was only provoked into action when something negative was done or said about his wife, Ernestina Naadu Mills.
Ex-President Rawlings reportedly revealed these at a close-door meeting with the Volta Regional party executives at the residency of the Regional Minister in Ho.
According to a reliable source, who attended the meeting which lasted close to two hours, the ex-President said when he asked President Mills what he intended doing about the pack of liars around him, he allegedly said he would soon fire 60% of those cronies, whom the former President had described as �greedy bastards�.
He however failed to disclose when that action would be taken.
Rawlings reportedly noted that in the midst of all the tales told him, nothing seemed to provoke the President except when someone said something negative about his wife, Naadu.
The source said the NDC founder recalled how he once heard that the President shouted angrily on top of his voice, and he said to himself, �At long last, the man is fed up with what is going on around him�.
But upon enquiry later, he was told the President was fuming because someone had done something against the First Lady.
He said he heard this report repeatedly for well over three times. Rawlings, our source said, advised the meeting to test the endurance of the President whenever they had the chance, by saying something against his wife. This, he believed, would provoke the President into action.
Mr. Rawlings told the Volta Regional party executives that those who toiled to bring the party back to power were being relegated to the background, adding that some people who sat on the fence and watched when the going was tough had suddenly become the close confidants of the President.
It would be recalled that ex-president Rawlings last year �boomed� that the President was surrounded by �sycophants, greedy bastards and bootlickers�.
Rawlings again expressed dismay at information reaching him to the effect that the Volta Region was seeking the position of the Speaker of Parliament should the party win the 2012 general election.
Rawlings reportedly wondered what they wanted that position for, when there were positions which when taken, would easily enable them control government.
He mentioned such positions as the Ministries of Finance, Defence and the Interior, adding that with these positions, they could have government in the palm of their hands.
According to him, when the party came into power, he suggested that General Arnold Quainoo aka Buffalo Soldier, who is currently a member of the Council of State, be made the Defence Minister; but Captain Kojo Tsikata advised against his choice.
He further wondered how with his 11 years� experience as a military ruler, his advice on security issues could be thrown out for that of Captain Tsikata, his former security advisor, adding �and that old Professor accepts everything they tell him�.
With regard to governance, Mr. Rawlings reportedly alleged that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was still in control of affairs because most important positions in the government were still being held by people he perceived to be NPP supporters.
<<Print>>