I don’t know Mahama’s vision, leadership abilities – Rawlings

Former President Jerry John Rawlings says he does not know the vision and leadership qualities of John Dramani Mahama who was sworn-in as President of Ghana yesterday July 24, 2012 following the demise of Prof. John Evans Atta Mills.

Mr Rawlings who is in Brazzaville, Congo with his wife, Nana Konadu, participating in activities marking the formal launch of Forbes Africa, at the invitation of President Denis Sassou N’Guesso, said this to the BBC today July 25, 2012 in an interview.

He was asked “Does John Mahama have the vision and leadership to make Ghana go forward?”

Mr Rawlings responded by saying “I don’t know but I hope so.”

In April 1997, Rawlings appointed John Mahama Deputy Minister of Communications and later he became the substantive Minister of Communications by November 1998, a position he held until January 2001 when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) handed over power to the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

During his tenure as Minister of Communications, President Mahama also served as the Chairman of the National Communications Authority, in which capacity he played a key role in stabilizing Ghana’s telecommunications sector after it was deregulated in 1997.

By Ekow Quandzie

Listen to Mr Rawlings speaking to the BBC