<<Print>>

KUFUOR�S DOUBLE STANDARD AND ENVY The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has observed with great amusement and shock former President Kufuor�s criticism of his predecessor President Rawlings� assessment of the Rawlings era as sterling which brought out the best in people. According to President Kufour such self assessment is boastful. It will be recalled that in 2009 former President Kufuor repeatedly adjudged himself as having done more for Ghana than any other leader Ghana has ever had. At the time he made this statement we urged him not to tickle himself and laugh since his achievements were insignificant as compared to those of Dr. Nukrumah and Mr. Rawlings. For him to now describe as boastful President Rawlings� assessment of his regime�s performance smacks of double standard, envy and hypocrisy. It is not lost on us that President Kufuor is the only Ghanaian leader who has so far conferred on himself the highest award of the land while still President; an awards category he himself created. We would wish to remind Mr. J. A. Kufuor that since the Nkrumah era or after Nkrumah�s overthrown, this country was left badly bruised, until 1983, when the nation begun registering positive growth under the management of the Rawlings� PNDC. The Rawlings regime, begun on the threshold of negative economic indicators (the worse economy any regime in Ghana ever inherited). It was a period described in a document published in 2005 by the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) of the University of Ghana, as one of economic decay and attributed it largely to counterproductive policies pursued before. So bad was the situation that, between the period of 1970-1983, real GDP grew at an average rate of 0.81% per annum while the growth of real per capita GDP on average was -8.34%. It was at such point of suffocation and stagnation from which Ghana was resuscitated with Rawlings as the captain in the coxswain So sterling were his economic achievements not to mention strengthening of institutions such as the judiciary, and instilling in the Ghanaian people the �can do spirit� that at varied international fora, he was acclaimed as �one of few African leaders to resuscitate a collapsed economy. In fairness, if there is any former leader apart from Nkrumah, worth applauding, then it must be Jerry Rawlings. Mr. Kufuor must therefore be reminded that no conscious effort of his to obliterate or overshadow Mr. Rawlings� exemplary achievements will work. Signed Richard Quashigah NDC National Propaganda Secretary