Hot video" 'Valerie Sawyerr is a hypocrite for attacking Rawlings'

Adwoa Agyeman — Sun, 13 Aug 2017 08:50:22 +0000

A lecturer at the Central University Law Faculty says Dr. Valerie Sawyerr’s claim that former President John Rawlings is selective in criticising corruption in the country makes Dr. Sawyerr a hypocrite.
Yaw Oppong believes, Dr. Sawyerr – the former Deputy Chief of Staff for ex-President John Mahama – lacks the moral authority to call Mr. Rawlings a hypocrite because she too has remained quite while Mr. Rawlings attacked persons not belonging to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Valerie Sawyerr stirred controversy early this week when she wrote an explosive article that condemned former President Rawlings and former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Martin Amidu, of hypocrisy for their constant attacks on the NDC and former President John Mahama.
Mr. Rawlings and Mr. Amidu have both, in different ways, described the NDC under John Mahama as the most corrupt.
However, in that article, Dr. Valerie cited many corruption allegations under the current administration that have failed to elicit the kinds of criticism from Mr. Amidu and former President Rawlings, suggesting that the two NDC stalwarts are deliberately carving up disaffection for the opposition party.
That article received a strongly-worded rebuttal from Mr. Amidu and kick started an old debate about the appropriateness of assigning the ‘NDC Founder’ status to Mr. John Rawlings.
Discussing the matter that raged on over the week on Joy FM/Multi TV news analysis programme, Newsfile on Saturday, Mr. Oppong said he is convinced Mr. Rawlings is only cleaning his house first.
Dr. Valerie’s criticisms against Mr. Rawlings, he said, rather “cast her in the mold of hypocrisy.”
“When last week former President Rawlings took on former President Kufuor, nobody took [Mr. Rawlings] on…He even compared [Mr. Kufuor] to a convicted criminal…Nobody condemns President Rawlings when he criticises others,” the private legal practitioner said.
“The point really is that they think he is being selective. In fact, a person can speak his mind about almost everything, but we know that charity begins at home we are told.
“How can we expect him [Rawlings] to come out and try to take that big lumber from your eye when he has his own problem,” he demands.
Mr. Oppong sees former President Rawlings’ vehement criticism of the NDC, but not the NPP, as to cleaning his own slate before criticising others.
‘Simple turf war’
The respected Lawyer, however, sees the current misunderstanding that has hit the opposition party as nothing serious, convinced that it should clear away soon. “What is happening is just a simple turf war. I hold the view that at every point in time people should be given the chance to express their opinion they have hidden in their minds and heart about people,” he said.
He commended the NDC leadership for demonstrating “sterling qualities in ensuring that they tame or cool down their foot soldiers.”
According to him, following the defeat of the NDC in the 2016 elections, the rank and file of the party used to mass up at the party headquarters to register their anger, however, the party leadership has managed to redirect that anger to close scrutiny of the current administration’s every move.
“Especially those in Parliament are doing that very well. At every opportunity, they give the rank and file a chance to direct their fury at government and not at the party headquarters,” he observed.

I congratulated Valerie Sawyer for criticising Rawlings – Obed Asamoah

Adwoa Agyeman — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 19:14:45 +0000

A former National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Chairman says criticisms of former President Jerry John Rawlings and Martin Amidu by Dr Valerie Sawyer is a good way to build a country.
Dr Obed Asamoah said Ghanaians should be given the opportunity to “speak their minds” on issues irrespective of who is at the centre of those issue.
He said he had, at some point, been critical of the former President and would welcome anyone who will take on leaders of the country for their misdeeds.

Former President Jerry John Rawlings
Dr Sawyer, a deputy Chief of Staff under former President John Mahama, blamed the NDC defeat in the 2016 election to Mr Rawlings and Amidu’s outbursts at the John Mahama led government.
In the article widely circulated, the environmental consultant said the NDC founder sees nothing good in anyone but himself.
“They say he booms [but] I say he buzzes…like an agitated mosquito…looking for his next victim,” she wrote about Mr Rawlings.

Valerie Sawyerr and President John Mahama
Dr Sawyer also vented her anger on former Attorney-General, Martin Amidu, saying his “pomposity, over-bloated ego and sense of self-importance” will lead to his downfall.
“I am not a soothsayer, neither am I a harbinger of gloom and doom…but once again I say to you…this time with a nation full of witnesses…that your Achilles heel will destroy you,” she said.
The former A-G has reacted to the statements made against him by Dr Sawyer. He said the former deputy Chief of Staff authored her article as though she was under the influence of alcohol.
Reacting on the issue, Communication expert, Dr Akofa Segbefia told Emefa Apawu on Joy FM’s Top Story Wednesday, the media banter among NDC stalwarts is needless considering the party has more to do ahead of the 2020 general elections.
“I personally believe in family values and the NDC is considered as a family…so there are ways to deal with the issue,” he said.
But Dr Obed Asamoah said he sent Dr Sawyer a text message, congratulating her for being forthright with Mr Rawlings.
“It is good for the country…people should speak their mind,” the longest serving A-G under Mr Rawlings said.
He downplayed the impact of the exchanges among NDC functionaries on the party. “Why should the division in the party be deepened because someone has spoken her mind?”
Dr Asamoah said many people in the NDC are not happy with the manner the former President criticizes everything in the party.
“Everybody is a crook and he is a saint,” he said of Mr Rawlings.

Valerie Sawyerr – Adomonline.com

Hot video" 'Valerie Sawyerr is a hypocrite for attacking Rawlings'

I congratulated Valerie Sawyer for criticising Rawlings – Obed Asamoah