Former president Jerry Rawlings has described the Foreign Affairs minister as disrespectful after she walked out of a conference for African mayors in Accra.

The incident which happened on Monday was revealed when the former President addressed the participants at the three-day conference which ended Wednesday.

Jerry Rawlings had insisted that it was proper protocol that the Vice-President not the Foreign Affairs minister delivers a speech on the last day of the conference if the president was unable to attend.

"So I said to my brother [Oko Vanderpuye] he can't do that. We have a vice president here. He should ask the vice president not the Foreign Minister", Rawlings narrated.

The former president tasked the Accra Mayor and Best Major in Africa, Alfred Oko Vanderpuye to relay to President Mahama that if the vice-president could make it to the programme, he should be made to do so.

Former President Jerry John Rawlings

Alfred Oko Vanderpuye was unable to get a response from Mahama. The president later called Rawlings who explained the situation to him.

But Hanna Tetteh who had arrived instructed the Major to commence proceedings.

Oko Vanderpuye refused.

"Fortunately and thankfully, the mayor stuck to his grounds and made sure we waited for the vice-president" an excited Rawlings reported the conversation between Hanna Tetteh and Alfred Vaderpuye

Amissah Arthur arrived later to take the speech from Hanna Tetteh. An obviously unhappy Hanna Tetteh then walked out, Joy News’ Seth Kwame Boateng reports.

Commenting on the misunderstanding, President Rawlings told the gathering of city administrators that "humility is very important....she doesn't even have the patience to wait and sit and join the meeting....you pack up and go because you can't open the meeting?....This kind of disrespect"

Ghana’s president, according to President Rawlings, is a humble man but “some characters around the president are the problem”.

The former leader said if he had his own way some of the people around the president would not be there.

President Rawlings admitted that he is known for talking about embarasing situation but it is only because he doesn't want a repetition.

The president lamented that Ghanaians are being oppressed by not only by foreigners but also by leaders too.

President Jerry Rawlings said he would like to see Ghanaians show courage as Nigerians do and fight back when they suffer oppression.

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