Minister of Trade, Hannah Tetteh has uncharacteristically attacked former President Rawlings for describing President Mills’ appointees as second rate.

She called her party’s founder a hypocrite applying double standards.

Her attack on her former mentor reveals how deep the cracks in the National Democratic Congress are.

The Trade Minister is already tipped as John Mahama’s running mate for 2012 in the unlikely event that President Mills throws in the towel and pushes his Vice President.

Meanwhile, in the other corner, the NDC founder is not only determined to stop President Mills from running for a second term, he is also determined to deny Vice President Mahama an easy succession shot.

Already, Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings are positioning themselves and their loyalists to increase their influence over the administration and organization of the ruling party.

It is an open secret within the NDC that the 2012 agenda for the Rawlingses has disgruntled ‘Team A’ Minister-Aspirant Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, who described the Mills-Mahama cabinet as Team B.

Mrs. Rawlings, who was recently on Citi FM, described Spio’s criticism of the Mills-Mahama government as sincere and in order.

Spio, who came second to Mills for the party’s leadership in 2006, is likely to challenge Mills or Mahama for the same slot in 2012, and he is known to enjoy the backing of the Rawlingses.

Ms. Tetteh, in an exclusive interview on Citi FM on Monday, turned the tables around by saying most of the cabinet ministers who have been described by Mr. Rawlings as ‘mediocre’ and Spio as ‘Team B’ served in similar positions under Mr. Rawlings.

She cited among others the Finance Minister, Kwabena Duffuor; Science and Technology Minister, Sherry Aryittey, who she described as a close confidante of the former First Lady; Education Minister, Alex Tettey Enyo; Agriculture Minister, Kwesi Ahwoi; Joseph Yieleh-Chireh and Cletus Avoka, who are all members of cabinet today, as ministers or senior public officials under Mr. Rawlings.

“In view of the fact that a lot of the people, and I could go on and on, were actually people who held office during President Rawlings administration, does it imply that he also appointed a Team B and now perhaps has a different set of people he would consider as Team A”, she stated.

But aide to Mr. Rawlings, Kofi Adams, in reaction said Hannah Tetteh was not getting the thrust of the argument. He said it is like putting square pegs in round holes, meaning some of the people could be simply reshuffled for effect.

He called for a ministerial reshuffle which could bring Hannah Tetteh to the Information Ministry.

Source: Statesmanonline

Tags: hannah tetteh, minister of trade, ndc, president mills, rawlings