This is the winning team”, President J. A. Kufuor declared on Saturday when he presented the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP’s) presidential pair for the December elections to an impressive gathering of party loyalists in Sekondi.
Addressing the opening session of the 16th delegates conference of the party, he asked the party faithful to work their hearts out to support Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to win the general election, pointing out that the attributes of Nana Akufo-Addo were complemented by the expertise of the running mate.
“My good friends, we are lucky to have a winning team comprising a flag bearer whose political maturity and sagacity is complemented by the financial and economic expertise of the running mate,” he said.
He said the ruling party had the best candidate in the person of Nana Akufo-Addo, hailing him as “ the man of destiny and the man needed at this moment to move Ghana forward”.
“I urge us all, to work our hearts out to support his campaign so that come January 2009, he will be the President of the Republic of Ghana,” he added.
The delegates congress was intended to deliberate on strategies to win the December elections and also introduce Dr Bawumia, who was nominated by Nana Akufo-Addo and received the endorsement of the National Executive Council of the party last Thursday as the running mate of the flag bearer for the December, 2008 general election.
President Kufuor extended his warm felicitations and goodwill to Dr Bawumia and said the selection of the running mate was the prerogative of the flag bearer, who does in consultation with the National Executive Council.
Explaining that the selection was based on a host of factors, the combination and totality of which should enhance the party’s fortunes at the elections, the President said Dr Bawumia was from a family with roots had gone deep in the politics of the country since the run-up to the country’s independence.
President Kufuor said as an outstanding economist and banker with both local and international experience, Dr Bawumia would bring to the ticket a wide network of professional colleagues, associates and friends to support the cause of the NPP and deliver as Vice President. “It goes without saying that his handsome face and youthfulness are also invaluable assets,” he added.
Turning his attention to the newly selected running mate, President reminded Dr Bawumia that his selection as the running mate of the Akufo-Addo ticket was a distinct honour and great responsibility that the party had entrusted to him at this critical time.
“With the help of Allah, we urge you to do everything in your power to vindicate this great party for selecting you for this very high office,” he said.
With the selection of Dr Bawumia as the running mate, the President said what was important henceforth was for the party faithful to support the ticket firmly and work whole-heartedly to secure the mandate of the national electorate and have the party returned to power.
“Now my fellow Kukrudites, our party is fully set for the December elections. The destiny of Ghana is in our hands and we must not fail the sons and daughters of this great nation, who have forged a winning partnership with us since our government has been privileged to lead our country,” he stated.
Turning his attention to the record of the party in last seven-and-a-half years that it had been in government, President Kufuor said the government had encouraged private sector participation in national development, upheld the rule of law, freedom of expression, and good governance, and stabilised the tottering economy it inherited from the previous administration.
He debunked suggestions that the record of previous and current administrations should not be compared by the electorate and used as the yardstick for their voting preferences.
President Kufuor said the reduction in inflation, the stability of the cedi, $8billion debt relief from the HIPC initiative, over-subscription of the Ghana’s Euro-bond on the London Stock Exchange, foreign direct investment, acquisition of Volta Aluminum Company (VALCO) and massive infrastructural development were some of the achievements of the NPP in government.
Others, he said, were the construction of trunk and feeder roads, educational reforms, National Health Insurance Scheme, capitation grant, school feeding and school bussing programmes, the Metro Mass Transport System, expansion of tertiary institutions, the Millennium Challenge Account, the relatively peaceful labour front and free medical care for pregnant women.
With the programmes the government had initiated in education and other sectors, the President said, the NPP would lead Ghana forward into prosperity.
He dismissed criticisms against the government by some opponents about its record of good governance, transparency and accountability and said the critics had glossed over efforts of the government to check corruption such as the promulgation of the Procurement Law and transparent conduct of the sale of the 70 per cent of the government share in Ghana Telecom(GT).
He asked whether the sale of Tema Dry Docks, Cement Works, Ashanti Goldfields, Nsawam Cannery, Star Hotel, Atlantic Hotel, Meridian Hotel, City Hotel and almost the entire GIHOC complex was debated as the GT sale had been done and asked where the proceeds from the sale of those crown jewels were.
President Kufuor said it was the Akufo-Addo presidency which would be able to continue the good works and build on the foundation which had been laid by his presidency and asked the party faithful to support the flag bearer to win the general election.
The National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Peter Mac Manu, said the decisions that would be taken at the annual conference would go a long way to affect the party and indicated that the members believed in the supremacy of the party.
He noted that the conduct of the parliamentary primaries was very challenging, since they attracted many candidates and appealed to those who lost or were disqualified not to allow their emotions to over-ride them.
“We must be as a unified party more than before. Do not allow our internal conflicts to usurp our strength and destroy the party,” he stressed, adding that “the failure of the NPP would be the failure of Ghana and Africa”.
He said the NPP was a political party that represented the good rather than the bad.
He said the party took part in the voter registration seriously and that it would continue to work with the Electoral Commission towards a free, fair, and credible election.
The National Chairman urged the members of the party to rise up and intensify the political campaign so that come December 7, 2008, the electorate would vote massively for the NPP
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