The heightened tension and animosity between the camp of President John Evans Atta Mills and former President Jerry John Rawlings, over the alleged presidential ambition of the former First Lady appears to have started way back in April, this year, on foreign frontiers.
The Chronicle intelligence picked up information on how the current First Lady, Mrs, Ernestina Naadu Mills and the former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, nearly engaged in a verbal brawl at an international conference in Brussels, Belgium, which was attended by the two ladies in April, this year.
The two Stateswomen nearly created a nasty scene at the Extraordinary Session of the Crans Montana Forum on Africa, on Saturday 10th April, this year, when the First Lady declined to sit beside her predecessor on the high table. The First Lady reportedly refused to sit by the former first lady at the session, resulting in a near verbal scuffle.
But for the agility and diplomacy of the former Minister of Environment Science and Technology in the erstwhile NDC administration, Mrs. Christiana Amoako Nuamah, the two distinguished ladies would have marred what appeared to be a successful international conference.
According to sources close to the conference, the two ladies were billed to address the conference, which was attended by present and former First Ladies, alongside women of international political repute, and they had been offered seats on the high table.
The conference was under the theme – “Reaching out to the youth; and in particular – Girls – Support for their involvement in societal affairs and governance.”
The First Fady reportedly raised objection to the sitting arrangement and did not like the idea of sitting close to the founder and President of the 31st December Women’s Movement.
Intervention
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| Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings |
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For some minutes, the organizers had to sort out the sitting arrangements of dignitaries on the high table, after Mrs. Naadu Mills refused to sit beside the former first lady for reasons which were not clear but which have been attributed to the perceived acrimony and bad blood between the current and former first couples, over the latter’s unbridled criticism of the NDC administration, and sometimes outright insult of President Mills.
According to information, it was the former Environment and Science Minister, Mrs. Christiana Amoako Nuamah who agreed to position herself between the two, before the matter was amicably settled.
It would be recalled that in a recent interview with the BBC, Mrs. Naadu Mills made certain comments which people perceived to be direct reference to the Rawlingses. In an answer to a question she said “it hurts to see the President being criticized, especially when whatever he does is given the wrong interpretation.
"You see, sitting in the armchair is not the same as being the pilot and holding the steering wheel. It’s not the same. If you have been a president before, perhaps conditions were different during your time. So let’s give this new President the chance to put into effect the ideas he has for this country…he wants the best for Ghana and we all should contribute to it”.
Source: The Chronicle/Ghana
5 months ago
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