Rawlings Apologises To People Offended By His Rule Rawlings Apologises To People Offended By His Rule January 13, 2000 ACCRA, Ghana (PANA) - Ghanaian President Jerry Rawlings on Thursday apologised to those who feel offended in one way or the other since he came onto the political scene some 18 years ago. In his last address to parliament before bowing out of office next year, Rawlings said: "We could not have turned the country round, nor come this far, without some difficult, painful, unpalatable but necessary decisions. "In the process, we have offended some people. We have upset some people. We have hurt some people. To all such persons, I say we are sorry." Rawlings said: "Consider your personal offence, upset or hurt the small price you have had to pay for the greater collective good. "Friends we have lost, relationships that have been broken, acquaintances lost that have been shattered must all be considered part of the process. "What is important is the desire to restore these relationships and hopefully a determination on all sides to do so". He added: "We set out to make a revolution. Without that revolution, we could not have arrived at the situation we are fortunate to find ourselves in today - with a stable political order and a democratic constitution. "It is said that you cannot fry an egg or make an omelette without breaking an egg. We could not have achieved what we have without stepping on some toes." He said: "As we come to the end of our second term in office, we will continue to pursue our vision for Ghana, where there is freedom and justice, equality and equity, progress and development. "We will continue to champion our development agenda to see a Ghana with economic and social infrastructure extended to every part of the country. "We need to have a vision of what we would like Ghana to look like in the next 50 years. Indeed, in the next 100 years. We need to lay the foundations for a solid nation - state to bequeath to our children, our children's children and to generations unborn." He appealed to the nation to approach this year's elections in the spirit of unity and nationhood. "We must all work to ensure free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections devoid of violence, devoid of insults and devoid of acrimony." Rawlings said his team has succeeded thus far because it has been vigilant, pragmatic and level-headed in its relations and dealings with the ordinary people. He drew both cheers and jeers from the floor when he said he was leaving the legacy of vigilance, level-headedness and pragmatic economic policies for Vice-President John Evans Atta Mills or "whoever my successor may be." Rawlings said he and his team entered the Ghanaian political scene at a time when they were least prepared for it. "Indeed it had never been part of any plan of mine to enter politics. But my baptism of fire into the political realm was a product of the anger and frustration of the people and the times. "We should never forget those times, because if we do, we shall be caught unawares. "Too many of us are taking the people for granted. We are lapsing into the old delusions of election equals democracy, equals security. "But this is wrong. Beyond elections are the aspirations of the people and the quality of life that they are able to live." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2000 Panafrican News Agency. All Rights Reserved.