Former President Jerry John Rawlings is demanding an apology from the New Patriotic Party (NPP)'s Volta Regional Chairman for making claims he described as disparaging.

He said there is no rapport between himself and John Peter Amewu as he [Amewu] had claimed in an interview on The Pulse on the JOYNEWS channel on MultiTv last Thursday.

The NPP Regional Chairman had praised the former Ghanaian leader for helping the party emerge victorious in the December 7 polls especially in the Volta Region.

He claimed Mr Rawlings contributed to the low turnout of voters in the Volta Region, considered the stronghold of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Incumbent President John Mahama polled votes less than what he did in the 2012 general elections and Mr Amewu attributes that to the former President.

He claimed Mr Rawlings had called him when the results for the general elections were trickling in.

But in a statement copied to Myjoyonline.com, the former President said the conduct of the NPP Chairman indicts his reputation.

"To make such untruthful and absurd claims of a follow up telephone call which can easily be verified is foolhardy, imprudent, unbecoming of a political actor who is supposed to lead with integrity and absolutely disrespectful to former President Rawlings," he said.

He said the only time he has met Mr Amewu was when he led a delegation of NPP Volta Regional executives to pay a courtesy call on him after he was enstooled as the Nutsifafa Fiaga of the Anlo Traditional Area.

The visit was to solicit the support of Mr Rawlings to stop alleged attempts by non-Ghanaians across the Ghana-Togo border to vote in the general elections.

"The office therefore demands an apology and retraction of the said falsehood in the same manner and prominence such false claims were carried," the statement added.

Read full statement below:

PRESS RELEASE

December 20, 2016

NPP CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENTS ON

FORMER PRESIDENT RAWLINGS FALSE

The office of former President Jerry John Rawlings has noted with utter disgust and disappointment the false and malicious claims made by the Volta Regional Chairman of the N.P.P. Mr. John Peter Amewu. 

In an interview broadcast on Joy News TV on the 15th of December, 2016, and later carried by other affiliate news portals, the N.P.P. chairman sought to create the impression of a rapport between himself and the former President without recourse to any form of decency. Amongst other things Mr. Amewu stated “I want to say a big thank you to him (President Rawlings). Even on the night of elections when the results were coming in, he did call”.

For the records the former President has met and talked to Mr. Amewu only once in his lifetime. This encounter which was at the full glare of the media took place when he led the Volta Regional executives to pay a courtesy call on the former President after he was enstooled as the Nutsifafa Fiaga of the Anlo Traditional Area. The purpose of the visit was to lodge a complaint about the alleged attempts by non-Ghanaians across the Ghana-Togo border to vote in the just ended Ghanaian presidential and parliamentary elections. In a very brief response the former president informed the group that their concerns would be forwarded to the appropriate quarters. 

To make such untruthful and absurd claims of a follow up telephone call which can easily be verified is foolhardy, imprudent, unbecoming of a political actor who is supposed to lead with integrity and absolutely disrespectful to former President Rawlings.

The office therefore demands an apology and retraction of the said falsehood in the same manner and prominence such false claims were carried.

Signed:

Kobina Andoh Amoakwa

(Communications Directorate)