The Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has criticised former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Emeritus Prof Ernest Aryeetey, accusing him and some members of academia of deliberately distorting Ghana’s historical records to downplay the legacies of the late statesman Jerry John Rawlings.
In a statement shared on his social media pages on October 22, 2025, the MP expressed outrage over what he described as a “spirit of peddling deliberate falsehoods” against Rawlings, insisting that the former president led Ghana with passion and not anger as suggested by the professor.
“Some of us will no longer tolerate this spirit of peddling deliberate falsehoods and distorting our national historical accounts none more against the legendary Rawlings,” the statement read.
He alleged that certain academics have long been “obsessed” with attempts to diminish the influence of JJ Rawlings on both the Ghanaian and global political stage.
“This foul and vile obsession by some of you in academia to diminish the legacies of JJ Rawlings hasn’t dimmed one bit, yet you continue to pursue it,” he added.
His comment follows Prof Aryeetey’s statements on Channel One TV, asserting that, “Rawlings led the country with anger.”
He cited several initiatives as evidence of Rawlings’ commitment to national development, including the expansion of rural electrification from about 40% to 73%, the introduction of local government elections in 1987 and the rehabilitation of Dr Kwame Nkrumah Museum through the establishment of his mausoleum in Accra.
Other achievements Dafeamekpor mentioned included the reform of Ghana’s education system by the introduction of Junior and Senior Secondary Schools (JSS and SSS), the creation of polytechnics and universities across the country and the establishment of the University for Development Studies (UDS) with proceeds from Rawlings’ $50,000 World Hunger Project Prize.
The statement also referenced various international recognitions bestowed upon the late leader, including the Clarence Martin Medal for Support of Higher Education and the Martin Luther King Jr Drum Major for Justice Award in 1994.
“The citation for the 1993 World Hunger Award recognised Rawlings for transforming Ghana from a condition of economic crisis to a model of self-reliance a clear testament to passionate leadership, not anger,” he added.
He further reminded Prof Aryeetey that Rawlings presided over the drafting of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, the country’s longest-lasting democratic framework, and provided opportunities for politicians across party lines, including former President John Agyekum Kufuor, to serve in his administration.
“Under Rawlings’ passionate leadership, over a million Ghanaians deported from Nigeria were safely repatriated and reintegrated. That was not anger; it was compassion,” the statement concluded.
1. Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, some of us won’t take this spirit of peddling deliberate falsehoods & distorting our national historical accounts any longer none more against the legendary Rawlings.
2. This foul and vile obsession by some of you in academia to diminish the JJ… pic.twitter.com/VScXAca6aI
— Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Esq. MP. (@etsedafeamekpor)
October 22, 2025
AM/AE
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