Spokesperson
for Former President John Agyekum Kufour, Frank Agyekum has vehemently
debunked claims that the erstwhile Kufour regime was warned by the
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the United States about the corrupt
nature of his government, as declared by former President Rawlings.
Former
President Jerry John Rawlings accused his successor of monopolizing
corruption during his two-term tenure in office between 2001 and 2008.
He stated that President Kufour was autocratic and corrupt in his leadership.
“The
difference between John Mills and Kufuor is that Kufuor was so
autocratic; they had used the military and the police to subjugate the
spirit of the people that he was the only one who could do corrupt
things plus his family and those he would allow, and he would jail
anybody else who did not have his permission to be corrupt, so there was
a way in which his regime looked orderly because nobody else could
engage in it except himself or gave you the permission,” Mr. Rawlings
stated when he signed a book of condolence in honour of late South
African President, Nelson Mandela, at the South African High Commission
in Accra.
He added that President Kufour's "regime got so corrupt
that America had to send the CIA boss…to come and warn Kufuor that ‘if
you don’t contain your corruption, there’ll be a coup d’etat and it will
be very popular and that’s why America will not be able to help you’."
Addressing
the issue in an interview with Peacefmonline.com, Frank Agyekum called
the bluff of former President Rawlings, stating emphatically that the
American State did not send any CIA agent to caution the country’s
two-time President.
He described as complete "falsehood" such
declaration by Mr. Rawlings and expressed that the American government,
during Kufour's era, gave the largest tranche ever of the Millennium
Challenge Account to assist President Kufour in revamping the 'broken'
economy he inherited from his predecessor.
“That’s false. That is
a lie. Nobody ever sent anybody on such a mission to President Kufour
because totally it’s unnecessary…This same US government was the
government that gave President Kufour government the largest tranche of
the millennium challenge account…That is not true. It can’t be, it does
not add up. It only tells you that this is a figment of President
Rawlings’ own imagination.” he disclosed.
To him, there's no way
the American government would have issued a warning to President Kufour
when he exhibited such good leadership traits.
He alluded to some
laws such as the whistle-blower and Public Procurement laws, which he
averred came into existence to liberate the economy from any corruptible
practices.
Speaking to Peacefmonline.com, he also accused
President Rawlings of "theft" during his reign as Head of State, hence
denting his credibility as an anti-corruption leader.
According
to him, former President Rawlings who was destitute before he ascended
to the Presidential throne had to "steal" to make ends meet but
immediately he stepped into office became affluent overnight.
He
posited that President Kufour, during his reign, made a number of
interventions in order to boost the progress of the economy.
“There
was no one law for Kufour people and another law for people who are not
Kufour people. That’s not true. If you fall foul of the law, you were
dealt by with the law...When we’re talking about amassing wealth;
President Rawlings should be the last person to talk about somebody
amassing wealth. We all remember…President Rawlings before he became
Head of State, first he had to go buy gari and beans on credit. He said
it himself. He said he was so poor. He didn’t have money.
“He had
to go and virtually steal…But realize that before he left office, he
was able to send his four children, all of them, to very good schools,
very expensive schools in the UK…By the time he left office, he’s built
mansions. President Kufour by contrast before he came to office had
built full house, had educated his children abroad. So, how then between
the two of these people do you say that Kufour was more corrupt?”
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