Presidential aspirant, Hon. Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 gave an address to Ghanaians, announcing his resignation from the post of Trade and Industry minister and his intention of contesting for the flag bearer slot of his New Patriotic Party (NPP) and to contest the 2024 presidential elections.
His delivery was superb and the fact that he came out with the Great Transformation Plan agenda, speaks volume of someone who can be president and continue on the good works of his predecessor. He came out with seven critical considerations that needed to be taken if the GTP would be successful.
Alan, then went ahead to introduce the key pillars of his Great Transformation Plan. These are namely: 1). Establishing a strong macroeconomic agenda, 2). Introducing a New Agricultural Revolution (NAR) for Ghana, which will improve productivity, minimise post-harvest losses, have an effective distribution network and in general minimise cost of food for the consumer, 3). Industrial Transformation which will build on the successes of the current government industrial transformation programmes which include 1D1F, 4). Accelerate Infrastructure Development, 5). Digital Mainstreaming, 6). Energy Security and Diversification, 7). Decarbonization and Climate Resilience, 8). National Security and Defence Optimization, 9). Downsizing Government and, 10). Strategic Engagement with the International Community.
Alan Kyerematen was going to execute these, based on the foundations laid by this Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s administration.
This address stung the opposition NDC members who came out clearly battered, tormented and confused. So, they decided to set out and make it look nonsensical in the eyes of Ghanaians to convince them that Alan Kyerematen had nothing to offer.
On Thursday January 12, 2023, I had the pleasure to be a guest on Accra FM morning show with the NDC Member for Wa West, Hon Peter Lanchene Toobu, who said among things that firstly Alan went to steal the successful agriculture policy of Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) from his colleague, Hon Dr. Afriyie Akoto and also the current NPP government had no foundation for Alan to build upon.
I was clearly shocked by his comments, because as a highly ranked police officer who was the executive secretary to former IGP David Asante Apeatu, I expected him to have done thorough investigation before coming out. But guess what, he has caught the NDC propaganda and say lies until it is accepted as the truth ideology.
Hon Toobu, stated for a fact that Alan went to steal the good works of Hon. Dr. Afriyie Akoto and that this current NPP government has no foundation, so what Alan intends doing is not achievable.
In the first place, Alan came to say some of the things he intends doing when elected president. And food production should certainly be part. He therefore picked from where Dr. Akoto left off and suggested ways of improving upon them.
So far as food production in Ghana is concern, Dr. Akoto is among the best agriculture ministers this country has ever had. His PFJ programme was even commended by the former NDC MP for Ejura Sekyeredumase, Hon. Alhaji Emmanuel Issifu Pangadu, who greatly benefited from it, but was later lambasted by the NDC for openly praising the NPP government for PFJ.
Now, is the NDC expecting Dr. Afriyie Akoto to inform Ghanaians about his plans if elected president and leave out trade and industry?
Hon Toobu should know that PFJ is one of the foundations, Alan intends building on.
The previous NDC government mismanaged our energy sector, saddling Ghana with almost four years of dumsor, in an era where there was no global economic crisis nor a global pandemic. The economy was poorly managed and all sectors, including the energy sector, were collapsing with many businesses shutting down.
This NPP administration has gone through the worse global pandemic and global economic crisis in recent times and yet there has never been power outages and rationing, dumsor. This is one foundation; Alan is going build on.
This government has built up more industries than even Nkrumah did, and this is one foundation, Alan is going to build on. This government has created the environment for foreign industries to open up plants in Ghana, meaning bringing in multi-national companies, while during the NDC era, companies like Mobil, closed shop in Ghana. Alan is going to build on this foundation.
Infrastructure development, never seen before, with more modern economic roads and railway systems under construction. This is a foundation Alan will build upon. The list is inexhaustive.
What foundations has the NDC ever laid? It said it will implement One-Term-Premium on Health Insurance, but could not even start. The worse inflation figures recorded in recent times was recorded under an NDC regime, with annual figure at 40.24% in 2000 as against 37.63% for 2022. There was no global pandemic or economic crisis in 2000.
When the PNDC took over reigns of governance in Ghana in 1981, the exchange rate was ¢ 2.75 to $1.00. In 2000 when Rawlings exited office, the rate was ¢6,750.00 to $1.00. over 245,000% depreciation. For those nineteen years, there was no global pandemic or economic crisis, but only economic mismanagement.
It is very obvious that what Alan said a practical governance might be beyond the comprehension of the NDC family. So, this address must be demonized before the people take it in.
Hon. Daniel Dugan
