Delays in naming Mahama’s running mate caused by coronavirus - Asiedu Nketia

General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has attributed delays in choosing a running mate for the 2020 presidential election to the outbreak of the deadly novel coronavirus.

With the outbreak of the global pandemic which has so far infected 1,671 people and killed 16 people in Ghana with 188 recoveries, he said, all attention must be directed at fighting the virus.

Delegates of the party on February 23 gave former President John Dramani Mahama the go-ahead to lead the party as its presidential candidate for the December 2020 polls.

Certified results from the Electoral Commission gave Mr Mahama an overwhelming 213,487 votes, representing 95.23 percent of the total valid votes cast with the other six contenders managing a little over 4 percent.

With just eight months to the elections, concerns have been raised about who is likely to partner the former president for his comeback bid, with some critics claiming the party does not have qualified individuals for the spot.

When asked Wednesday on ‘Onua Maakye’ on Onua TV as to what was causing the delays, Mr Asiedu Nketia said “if the time comes we shall name the running mate but for now, the President said we should fight the coronavirus so that is our focus”.

He said Ghana is currently at war with coronavirus which has globally overwhelmed health facilities and caused economies to plunder.

“If the economy is in bad shape, it affects every sector. We have an emergency situation so we must pay attention to it,” he indicated.

Quoting President Akufo-Addo’s comment that government knows how to revive the economy but does not know how to bring back human life, the NDC scribe said “if we are all sick or running away by December because of coronavirus, how can you go for elections?”.

“If the President lifts the ban on public gathering and normalcy is restored, we shall do normal things”, he told co-host of the show, Bright Kwasi Asempa.

Building of 88 district hospitals

Mr Asiedu Nketia who is popularly known as General Mosquito insisted that President Akufo-Addo and his government have abandoned health facilities that were started by the erstwhile NDC administration.

“He said 6 regions do not have hospitals so ask yourself, who created those regions?”

He created these regions and he has neglected them”.