A former Minister for Foreign Affairs under President Kufuor’s regime, Mr Akwasi Osei-Adjei, has admonished that without unity, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) can never progress.
The former Legislator of Ejisu/Juaben Constituency noted that unity brings peace and development and an indication of the party’s “readiness” to recapture power to govern and develop Ghana.
He has, therefore, lauded the idea by the party leadership to grant amnesty to suspended members, as well as reinstate renegade members, who would be required to submit a formal application to the party’s national secretariat.
Speaking in an interview on Kumasi-based radio station, Silver FM, the former Legislator explained to the host, William De Bordes (Loving Cee) that when the NPP is in the helm of affairs of the nation, it always implements good policies such as the School Feeding Programme, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and Free SHS among others, which enhances the livelihood of the citizenry.
According to the former Legislator, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) since 1992 has never implemented a policy that impacts the livelihood of the citizenry.
Touching on the Presidential primary, the former minister indicated that exchange of vulgar words by aspirants disturbs the steps taken to attain unity in the party, stressing that such utterances would not guarantee one’s victory.
He stressed that vulgar words only give the opponent ammunition to capitalise on and warned that delegates alone cannot elect a President for the nation, hence the 50+1 percent requirement to win the general election.
Osei Adjei said the NPP had only 47 percent of the registered voters, hence the need to garner additional votes which require that the party campaigns in a decent manner to market candidates.
He argued that 80 percent of the over two million voters who did not turn up to vote in the last general election were NPP members who were merely fed-up with the then NPP government.
He indicated that the youth are needed to complement the efforts of the old members to be able to take over the mantle of leadership to win power and save Ghana.
He, however, frowned on the decision by the NPP to withdraw from the Tamale Central by-election, saying the party’s decision is “totally wrong” and he disagrees with it, even though the circumstances surrounding the death of deceased MP is appalling.
The former Ejisu MP argued that a political party, such as the NPP, must and should not withdraw from an election even if they are to garner 10 percent of total vote cast on the day of the by-election, stressing that there should be sanctions on political parties who take such stance, without any tangible reason.
Akwasi Osei Adjei urged constituents of Akwatia Constituency to vote for the NPP candidate in Tuesday’s by-election in honour of their deceased MP.
From Oswald Pius Freiku, Kumasi
