20100712
allafrica

Accra — Either Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, Ghana's former first lady is being mischievous or she simply wanted to take their problems to radio stations. Whatever it is, the situation is looking like a national shame as the former first lady claimed on an Accra radio station that former President Jerry Rawlings and his family have become homeless following the gutting down of their home on February 14.

To save them from the ordeal, Nana Konadu announced that they are looking for a place to rent.

Some ordinary supporters of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) say either President John Evans Atta Mills is insensitive or is just trying to punish his former boss, Mr Rawlings for all the criticisms he has heaped on him.

"President Mills cannot treat Mr Rawlings this way. He picked him as his vice-president and went on the campaign trail to get him elected. Mr Rawlings is the founder of the NDC and must be treated with some respect," said Mr Paul Akakpo an NDC activist at Madina a suburb of Accra.

Nana Konadu claimed that she currently lives with her mother and Mr Rawling lives at a village house in Tefle, some 100 kilometres east of Accra adding that, "this is not good enough for married life."

This situation has come about because the government seems to have reneged on a promise to house the former first family. But, the government claimed that is not true.

Deputy information minister, Mr James Agyenim-Boateng said in a radio interview that, the government made some offers that were rejected by Nana Konadu Rawlings even though it was clear at some point that, Mr Rawlings agreed to one of the offers.

Mr Agyenim-Boateng said, Mr Rawlings and the wife want their former house to be rebuilt for them and the government was working with them on the structural designs for work to begin and it was therefore not true that the government had ignored them.

Reckless and cold-hearted

The government's explanation has angered group calling itself Friends of Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings (FONKOR) who have come out to dismiss what they claim was a "reckless and cold-hearted comments" by Mr James Agyenim Boateng.

The development has again come to show the sharp division in the party. Publicly party officials play down on the fact that there is a Rawlings faction and a President Mills faction that does not seem to agree.

In line with this perceived division, FONKOR called on the President Mills to "show leadership and get rid of these political vultures and while at it, must not leave the party at the mercy of 'agent provocateurs' whose sole aim is to destroy the party with their greediness and politics of attrition."

A close confidant of the Rawlings family, Accra businessman, Mr Herbert Mensay has also come out to say that he and some friends paid for the renovation of the property where Nana Konadu Rawlings is currently living. In order to prove his point, he said, said a bill has been sent to government for reimbursement.

"The entire cost of [the renovation] of that house is footed by myself and a couple of others," he told local radio, Joy FM.

"We went in there, we put water tanks, we put a number of things. We had a pre-agreement as to how or what may be the assistance we may receive from government. We received a little bit but we have not received all."

Government officials have debunked Mr Mensah's claims. They said, the renovations that were carried out were paid for by the state.

This has given some government critics grounds to say that Mr Rawlings is being treated this way because President Mills has refused to provide former President John Kufuor accommodation facilities as provided under the law.

"President Mills is faced with satisfying Mr Kufuor or Mr Rawlings and the whole thing is becoming a problem for him now," said Janet Boateng, an activist of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

When Mr Kufuor who has his own accommodation decided to use a state facility as an official office, the national security agency stopped him claiming that the building in question was a safe house. Since then, Mr Kufuor has had to use part of his residence as an office.

It does look that, President Mills is torn between pleasing his mentor Mr Rawlings or attracting criticism from within the NDC by providing Mr Kufuor with an office and has thus decided to simply ignore both personalities.