Okudzeto writes to the chronicle Re: Rawlings is ungrateful – yells Okudzeto the acidic mouth
I have become aware of your Tuesday, May 29, 2012 Vol: 21 No. 097 publication under the above headline and have read same with utter surprise.
The headline and statements attributed to me by your correspondent in Ho, claiming that I referred to Former President Jerry John Rawlings as ungrateful and not appreciative of the treatment he enjoys under President John Evans Atta Mills, while addressing a Tertiary Education Institutes Network (TEIN) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Forum is an absolute fabrication, total falsehood and a figment of the imagination of your reporter.
At the well attended and successful TEIN Forum in Ho on Friday the 25th of May, 2012, and which has been accurately captured by several media organizations including the Ghana News Agency and the Daily Graphic of Tuesday, May 29, 2012, on Page 17, I made the point in my address that the greatest contribution we can make to the preservation of the legacy of former President Rawlings as NDC members was to ensure that we keep the NDC in power by voting massively for the NDC in the December 7 elections.
I did add that leading members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who have suddenly become fair weather friends of President Rawlings and were praising President Rawlings and pretending to have his interest at heart should not to be allowed to succeed in their quest to take advantage of the current situation in the NDC, because we all remember how the NPP government treated the Rawlingses between 2001 and 2008.
I recounted to the audience how the courtesies of the former President were scrapped, the BNI invitations he was subjected to, and the criminal charges brought against his wife, the former first Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings.
I added that the NPP is now gloating because the current development they thought would inure to their benefit, but will return to their maltreatment of the former First Couple as soon as they win power.
I also wondered how it was possible for the NPP, who had claimed Prof. Mills would not be his own man when elected President, could make political capital of developments in the NDC when these developments portray President Mills as his own man.
I concluded on this part of my presentation by arguing that President Mills has shown himself to be a better democrat and a matured and tolerant leader as compared to his predecessor.
At no point in my speech did I use those words or suggested ingratitude and lack of appreciation, as that was neither the theme nor focus of my submission. This attempt to put words in my mouth and make wrong attributions to me in such a wild and offensive manner is most unacceptable.
I have also noticed several attacks on my person in the same report where you label me as an acidic tongue, a talkative and one who moved right from the classroom to become a Deputy Minister.
Though I respect your opinions and perceptions about me, just as I respect that of many others who hold contrary perceptions and opinions about me which are positive, I do not think you are entitled to your own set of facts.
I did not become Deputy Minister of Information right from the classroom and I do hope you will update your records accordingly. I must hasten to add though, that Ghanaian leadership history is replete with several people who moved right from school to hold public office and yet excelled nonetheless.
I am proud of those gallant sons and daughters of the soil and would have been really honoured to have belonged to that special category of young nation builders.
As for the verdict on how I have served my nation so far, Ghanaians will remain the best judges. I do hope this rejoinder will receive the same prominence accorded the original story.
Do accept my best wishes for your Newspaper and Staff. Warm regards,
Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (Deputy Minister of Information)
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