Rawlings blasts Kufuor for not promoting family planning

Former President Jerry John Rawlings has attacked his successor, John Agyekum Kufuor, for encouraging Ghanaians to give birth to more children when the latter was president of the country.

Speaking to NDC supporters at Ashaiman on Tuesday, the former PNDC Chairman recalled how Mr. Kufuor rather encouraged baby boom when the country was doing well in promoting family planning.

"I remember when we were doing well as we were preparing for elections and I would be campaigning about family planning and HIV/AIDS. Kufour went about encouraging Ghanaians to give birth to more children,” he said.

The outspoken former leader noted that he was surprised to note that Mr. Kufuor was only doing that for votes, an intention he (Rawlings) described as selfish and backward.

"I want my people to be rich and have enough… there would never be enough when you bring forth uncontrollably," Mr. Rawlings emphasized.

He urged Ghanaians to adhere to strict family planning methods to control birth as one surest step of mitigating the impact of economic hardships associated with uncontrolled birth.

According to him, uncontrolled birth is a major precursor to poverty which is plaguing Ghana and the entire African continent.