Former President Jerry John Rawlings says he used the $2 million gift from former Nigerian President General Sani Abacha for the benefit of all Ghanaians.
He said it was not channelled into consumption as some have claimed but rather into bolstering sectors of the economy that were weak.
In 1998 when the money came in, “I used it for nationalistic purposes [and] my comrades in those days knew about it,” he noted.
The former President made this remark when he addressed a gathering at the 38th Anniversary of the June 4, 1979, uprising held in the Upper West Regional town of Wa Sunday.
The $2 million gift from General Abacha nearly cost Mr Rawlings his presidency when then opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) had wanted to impeach. The NPP failed because it did not find enough evidence to carry through with its intention.
It was speculated that the former President received $5 million from one Gwarzo who delivered the money to him but he dismissed it.
In an interview with Nigeria’s Guardian Newspaper in 2016, Mr Rawlings said he took only $2 million from the General's personal assistant.
“When General Abubakar took over, I told him to watch out that the report in the papers about $5million was $2million and not $5million,” he asserted.
When the issue came up for discussion in 2016 following a petition by the leader of GCPP, Dr Henry Lartey for CHRAJ to carry out another investigation, Mr Rawlings blamed some people in the NDC for that.
Having founded the NDC, the former President believes some people in the then government had wanted to disgrace him by reviving the issue.
“About three days before his [Mr Lartey] drama, I got information that he was going to be financially rewarded for what he did and incidentally he was instigated not by people in the opposition,” he said in October 2016.
The 2017 June 4 anniversary provided Mr Rawlings with another opportunity to repeat his 2016 claim about the involvement of some senior NDC members in the CHRAJ petition.
“The crazy man [was] urged by crazier ones within the Executive [past NDC government],” he said about the GCPP leader.
Source: myjoyonline.com
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THE EVIL THAT MEN DO LEAVES AFTER THEM. WE ARE QUICK TO RENDER JUDGEMENT AND FORGET THAT THE ONE WHO CREATED US IS THE ONLY RIGHTFUL ONE TO JUDGE.WE ARE ONLY MORTAL BEINGS AND DEATH AWITS ALL OF US.RAWLINGS THOUGHT HE WAS INFALLIBLE AND A PERFECT HUMAN BEING.THOSE HE WRONGLY ACCUSED AND MURDERED AWAIT HIM IN THE OTHER SIDE.I HOPE HE IS ABLE TO SLEEP WELL.ONLY TIME WILL TELL.
So why does the number 1 greedy person think he is a saint. Is it because now he is left out of the chop-shop? When the story first broke, did you agree and did not correct the error that it was $2m and not $5m? what did your disciples say then? On one accepted that it was true Abacha gave him some money. They were all on the defense. But now you are saying they all knew it was $2m rather than $5m. If you took it and used it for good purpose why could you not accept it was true. And now you dare call others names and alleged they are more corrupt? ***barred word*** crook.
people were killed for less.
A man without principles but yet, the first to mount so-called 'moral high ground'. This guy is a walking contradiction and I pity those who follow him. He changes the rules to always favour him. One day all the truth about him will be out there. Never trusted him and the status quo holds.
Rawlings have the option to borrow money legitimately and use for nationalistic purposes as you claim.... This Abacha money is a BRIBE... accept it and stop calling others corrupt.
A president taking bribe and claiming he used it for nationalistic purposes.... Unbelievable! Tell this to your NDC party ***barred word*** who are following you blidly. He used it for the benefit of his children, family and friends. How different is this from John Mahama receiving a car as bribe and placing it presidential pool of cars? NDC as a party is a gang of clever cr!m!nals.... They are claiming to be saints. WE must never allow this corrupt create, l00t and share NDC party to rule this country again.
But why will you that always preaches about corruption accept such a huge sum of money as a gift from your fellow president in a country whose economy is struggling just like ours.The money was given to you personally as a gift and not Ghana so the argument that you use it to benefit Ghana does not hold. Please do the honourable thing and return the stolen money with interest to Nigeria because they it to help the poor. Please don't act contrary to your own saying "Greedy bastards".