Hypocritical NDC fights Gov’t Over JJ’s Funeral

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is literally fighting over the funeral of former President Jerry John Rawlings.

The party, which chased its founder away, is today accusing government of hijacking his funeral. The NDC is demanding the right to be at the forefront and not relegated to the background in organising the funeral.

It was an open secret that the NDC and its founder were not on good terms, with the latter completely relegated to the background in party matters.

The founder was also subjected to public attacks. What broke the camel’s back was the famous but controversial ‘Working with Rawlings,’ book, authored by Prof Kwamena Ahwoi.

Many who have read the book, for instance, described it as a weapon to finish, if not destroy the legacy of Rawlings. The late founder was not happy with the content of the book and openly threatened to respond to it.

Other people have also cited the decision by the former first lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, spouse of Mr Rawlings, to form a new party, National Democratic Party (NDP), to compete against that of her husband.

Meanwhile, there are also reports in which some party executives have denied they were working to sideline the founder.

When the family of Mr Rawlings visited Jubilee House on Thursday to officially inform President Akufo-Addo of the demise of the former President, President Akuf-Addo stated that because Mr Rawlings was a statesman, the state would have to take over the funeral organisation. He added swiftly that, everything would be done in collaboration with the family.

However, it appears this move by the government has incurred the wrath of the NDC, which is accusing the government of hijacking the funeral.

Speaking to the media on Friday, after visiting the family, the General Secretary of the party, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, expressed the disappointment of the party over the attitude of the government.

He said: “Everything about this funeral, so far, depicts an attempt by an opponent to hijack the funeral of the founding father of our political party and we don’t think the funeral of our party founder ought to be organised somewhere, and we get invited. We have called on the immediate family to share condolences and we are beginning to discuss the way forward,” he said.

He was also unhappy about the NDC not being able to sign the book of condolence, which had been opened in honour of the late Rawlings.

“From where we were directed to sign a book of condolence, which has been opened in his honour at the Accra International Conference Centre, strangely as our flagbearer and his team reached there, we were told that the book has been taken away by government and the place has been locked up and the book will only be open on Monday.

“Then we ask ourselves, who is mourning with him. Well, if they think that the state events take precedence, it doesn’t stop the NDC from honouring our fallen hero.”

He continued that: “We have directed all branches of our party countrywide to organise events that will give a fitting celebration of the life of our founder. We will participate [in the national funeral] but that will not stop us from organising our own thing.”

Asiedu Nketia, and his NDC party had problem with President Akufo-Addo and flagbearer of the NPP because he failed to mention the name of the party in the statement he issued to announce the death of Mr Rawlings.

He was expecting that the President, in his commiseration statement to the bereaved family, to have mentioned that the late Rawlings was the founder of the opposition NDC.

“We were sorely disappointed that Nana Akufo-Addo, even in issuing a statement of condolence, refused or failed to recognise the fact that President Rawlings was the founder of the NDC.

“It is against all the different practices we have been engaged in, in the past, as far as the death of prominent members of the two political parties is concerned,” he added.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the State Protocol Department dated Friday, November 13, said due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the general public is advised to note that the book of condolence will commence today, Monday, November 16 to Friday, November 20, 2020, at the Accra International Conference Centre from 9am to 5pm daily.

The statement, which had attached the order of signing, scheduled former Presidents Kufuor and Mahama to sign between 10:15am to 10:45am today.

 

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