Opinions of Thursday, 18 March 2021
Columnist: PallyMax Tallents Media
Many political aspirants within the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) have expressed their interest to step into the shoes of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo even before his term ends in 2024.
There is absolutely nothing wrong for such political think tanks to assume that ambitions but the manner in which it will be carried out if not done with care can tear the party apart and even send it to relegation or opposition instead of maintaining power come the 2024 general elections.
Notable among the contestants reaching STVplatform.com include Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President of Nana Akufo-Addo, Alan Kyerematen, Minister for Trade and Industry and the Agricultural Minister, Dr Owusu Akoto Afriyie.
Dr Bawumia is allegedly subotaging Nana Addo's government by ordering his 2024 Presidential bid posters across Ghana, a move which clearly indicates desperation as it is too early for posters of any aspirant to come out.
What is becoming mouth dropping is the rate at which money is being dashed out to court the attention and influence delegates than allowing delegates to use their own conscience.
In a recent NPP Ashanti Regional Executive meeting held in Kumasi by Dr Akoto, he had as part of his promises to them to donate one tractor and a motorbike to each constituency.
Currently, the market prices for a farming tractor in Ghana ranges from the values of Ghc 60,000 and Ghc 84,000 whiles a Motorbike cost range between Ghc5,000 and Ghc6,500.
That is a whopping amount of money and that even where he is going to get the money from to purchase in this short period is another subject for discussion.
Besides being early to announce one's interest in the NPP flagbearer contest in 2024, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto who on Saturday March 14, 2021 at the Ashanti Regional Executive Meeting made his intention to contest known, is the current Minister for Agric, a servant of the NPP led Akufo Addo government in power, a clear indication of conflict of interest.
He spent Ghc 423,000.00.(ie 4.23 billion old Ghana Cedis to Ashanti Regional Constituency Chairmen and all executives at Ghc1000.00 and Ghc500 respectively as transportation to announce his Flagbearership.
The begging questions Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Alan Kyeremanten and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia must answer;
So why the hurry to overthrow the NPP government in power from which they themselves serve?
So why use of money (moneycracy in politics) and huge sums of payment to NPP Party executives?
Earlier, Dr Akoto in his address noted that he intends to continue Nana Addo's legacy.
So what is the Akufo Addo government legacy he seeks to continue, Ghanaians demands.
Who is the candidate nominee of President Akufo Addo to succeed him? Must he nominate someone?
The norm and ideal political timeline for flagbearer contest annoucement could start off from January 2023, a-two-year to political season.
Whatever it is, is it the new line in the NPP to adopt "moneycracy" (a state of bribing people for power). Is the party now for the highest bidder?
The New Patroitic Party (NPP) is a Ghanaian Political Party formed on July 28, 1992 as the greatest opposition party at the time to break the gene of military dictatorship and rule that created fear, panic and spiral of silence within Ghanaians.
NPP always brings democratic solution to Ghana's economy and social interventions to mitigate livelihood.
The NPP has a symbol of the African elephant and with its slogan Development in Freedom.
This is a party that speaks for the voiceless, underprivilige and the poor for the common good of humanity.
Since its inception by the founder professor Albert Adu Boahen, the NPP has seen two presidential candidates who were elected to govern Ghana and served two constitutinal mandated terms in persons of ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor and the current President, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo whose tenure end in December 6, 2024.
Its past leaders have been democratically elected devoid of using money to buy their way out from delegates selection level to the inter partisan national presidential elections.
Even though the NPP is a capitalist liberal-conservative party, its oversight decisions at difficult times seeks to protect Ghanaian lives and livelihoods better than the leftist democrat parties in Ghana.
Since the democratization of Ghana in 1992, it has been one of the two dominant parties in Ghanaian politics, with its leading rival being the centre-left National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The New Patriotic Party has contested every national general election in Ghana since the commencement of the fourth republic in 1992, with the exception of the Parliamentary Elections of 1992.
The NPP is a party the founding fathers, stakeholders and its membership toiled and vowed to promote Democracy, the rule of law, Justice and Development, determined to fight against corruption among politicians and non political actors. Hence the agenda to seek democracy and not "monycracy" became paramount.
Everyone who seek NPP leadership of any kind was giving the chance to contest and be elected without vote buying, rigging and without an interplay of Money to a competitive edge over other candidates.
Today, such actors are frowned upon, rejected and society delineates itself from them. The phenomenon and agenda of "monecracy" in politics and elections of any sort is a recipe for corruption and hand dipping into national chest or coffers upon wining the general election and recuping ones investments in its appointees and job promotions are not different from the social and polictical ills.
Dr Bawumia is destroying the NPP
Within the fratenity of the NPP, it is observed that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is destroying the party and subotaging his boss, His Excellency Nana Addo's government by ordering his 2024 presidential bid posters across Ghana. One will say Dr. Bawumia looks more desperate and unpatriotic to NPP to have considered his early bid for 2024 posters to be out.
Currently, as the Vice-President of the Nana Addo led government due to run for eight (8) years, as the head of the government economic team. He is expected to drive the Ghanaian economy to a better end.
Ghanaians ask; what else is new for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to do should he become the next president?
Alan Kojo Kyeremanten
Another flagbearer in the NPP race also in the Nana Akufo Addo led government has been a Trade and Industry Minister for sixteen (16) years running, spanning from the ex-president John Agyekum Kufuor's administration.
Alan Kojo Kyeremanten (Alan Cash), the Minister of Trade and Industry for the past 16years as service to Ghanaians.
So after 16 years of service to Ghana, what new can he offer Ghanaians that he needs a presidential ascent to prosecute.
Ghanaians ask, must Alan Cash be the next President before he can contribute his quota to the national development have spent 16years in government?
As we politically forecast NPP election 2024, Ghanaians must be wide awake to elect a fresh NPP Flagbearer and someone not in Nana Akofu Addo's government to lead the national political agenda.