Audio By Carbonatix
The running mate of the NDC's flagbearer in the 2020 elections, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang is said to have interviewed the party’s founder Jerry John Rawlings in 1996.
Prof. Kwamena Ahwoi in his book “Working with Rawlings” recounts how the interview on Radio Gold earned Mr. Rawlings praise from the media.
Describing the interview as “Mother of all interviews” the former Local Government Minister recalled that it was at a time the then President was not known for granting interviews and it had become a major campaign issue.
According to him, together with his brother, Ato Ahwoi who then chaired the Board of the Network Broadcasting Company Limited (the company that owns Radio Gold) and former Minister of Information Kofi Totobi-Quakyi, they plotted to deal with the issue.
“Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, a lecturer at the University of Cape Coast already had a popular current affairs interview program on Radio Gold called “Platform” and it came in very handy for this enterprise.”
He stated that they decided to set the tone for the interview by ensuring that the first person who called into the show was “irritating and provocative”.
“The caller in a shrill and agitated voice shouted at Naana Opoku-Agyemang; 'That man, that man sitting in the studio with you, he is a murderer'.
"Shocked, Naana asked 'Are you referring to President Rawlings? Why? What did he do to you? Who did he kill?'
"The caller retorted: 'Yes, that man. He murdered my wife. My wife was in labour and we had to take her to Korle Bu. That man had left Korle Bu in such a bad state with potholes all over the place.
'We fell into a big pothole. My wife had a miscarriage and she bled to death. He is a murderer'.
"Rawlings intervened at this stage. In a calm and very concerned manner and measured voice, he stated words to the effect that 'Young man, I don’t know you, but I am very sorry for what happened to your wife and you have my sympathies.
'I will get the producer to put me in touch with you off air after the programme so that we see what we can do to help you get over your grief.
'But you see, the issue of potholes is only one of the many problems that have to be fixed in this country.
'We have been fixing some of the problems and I hope that when I get elected for a second term, together with people like you, we can collectively fix these problems'.
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