The office of former President Jerry Rawlings has denied assertions that
he has gone silent on the many ills of the society because of
government support for his charity works.
A statement issued by Kobina Andoh Amoakwa, Secretary to the former
President, said there can be no truth in the assertion by The Herald
newspaper, explaining that the former President’s well documented
charity works have enjoyed the support of all governments in recent
years save for the J.A. Kufuor-led government.
The statement described the former President as someone who often
speaks his mind and that “it is inappropriate, incorrect and inaccurate”
to conclude that he has been influenced.
Below is the full statement
Dear Sir,
REACTION TO PUBLICATION ON FORMER PRESIDENT’S CHARITABLE VENTURES
The attention of the Office of former President Jerry John Rawlings has
been drawn to a publication in the Friday, August 23, 2019 edition of
your newspaper headlined, “Rawlings Confirms Receiving Goodies From
Presidency”.
While acknowledging your attempt to inform the public about the former
President’s charitable endeavours, we find it unfortunate and
distasteful, the inference that owing to the support of the Chief of
Staff’s office, the former President has remained silent on the many
ills in the Ghanaian society.
It will interest you to know that the former President’s charitable
gestures which are well documented, have received the support of past
government Chiefs of Staff with the exception of President Kufuor’s. By
virtue of his political nature and what he stands for as well as being
the most accessible former President, he is literally inundated with
requests for help. It will be blind of most governments to be unaware of
the burden of these requests.
To conjecture that any form of support has the potential to influence
the former President’s thought process is absurd. Former President
Rawlings often speaks his mind and it is inappropriate, incorrect and
inaccurate to make such unfounded conclusions from a statement released
from our office on a presentation made to a former National Democratic
Congress Member of Parliament who has dedicated most of her life to the
good of her society.
Yours Sincerely,
Kobina Andoh Amoakwa (Executive Secretary)
