WHO ARE PRESIDENT KUFOUR’S SUPPORTERS?

As the days for President Kufour's constitutional exist from the Castle draw closer there is a feelings his achievements for the NPP and the Nation will be forgotten. If it happens, it will be one of the injustices in Ghana's history.

Regardless of what the critics say, President Kufour has really put in tremendous efforts in turning the economy of the Nation round even in the midst of a turbulent world economy, which hugely placed developing countries at a disadvantage.

The fear of this writer is based on the fact that the NPP tradition abhors a populist figure but times and political thinking are changing fast around the globe hence calls for urgent need to change slightly the administration of the Party's ideals. Another significant issue that has impacted negatively on the NPP is the cult built around the NDC military ethics. It has undeniably made the NDC the most fearful leadership arena, such that you dare not speak against authority. Any member who expresses dissent against authority is blown away. Such an attitude has made the NDC look like an employer who suppresses employee voice and deals harshly with dissent. A Ghanaian researcher for the German Green Party in a recent conversation equated the NDC to the Russian Oligarchy (Kremlin) in Ghanaian Politics.

Against this background Mr. Jerry Rawlings who is the Founder and Leader of the NDC is seen by some NDC members as a voice not to be challenged. Mr. Rawlings populist and leftist ideals (questionable though) has made him a hero among the fanatics in the NDC. His philosophy of shunning capitalist ideals-which arguably is the best therapy for this generation and beyond- had again catapulted him further. A clear example is when Mr. Rawlings was summoned to appear before the CID (supposedly to give more information to the Police on his claim that some NPP Ministers were involved in the serial killings of women in the late 90s) a group of NDC fanatics invaded the road, blocked Mr. Rawlings' path and implored him not to honour the CID invitation. Even a news item indicated that some of these fanatics 'slept' on the road apparently telling Mr. Rawlings to drive over them. Unfortunately, such a primitive attitude has partially dominated our body politics thereby forcing the NPP to find a match. This, I believe has been of concern to some supporters of the NPP that Nana Akufo Addo should be given the NPP Presidential nod in December in order to counteract Rawlings' 'Takashi'.

In the NPP's attempt to focus on the next occupant of the Castle after President Kufour, sight has been lost on the huge success chalked by Mr. Kufour and plans for his ex-presidential status. I have repeatedly stated that if we put politics aside, wear the sensible and divine microscope, we will realise that President Kufour has done extremely well than some opposition members would want us believe. The problem Mr. Kufour has got is that, he is not a populist figure. First his party does not believe in populism and second, by nature he is a calm man. This unfortunately has partially overshadowed some of his great achievements.

President Kufour believed, and rightly so, that a state is not built on vociferous and too much talk, the talking is in doing the right thing for the Nation.
Mr.O.B Amoah, a Deputy Minister of Education, said sometime last year that it would be hard for the next President to equal Mr Kufour's achievements. Frankly, this Deputy Minister is being blunt in his assessment and not because of his loyalty to the President.

It is a bitter pill to swallow when sometimes one realises that because of the NPP's tradition of not madly beating their own drum, great achievers such as President Kufour are not given the utmost hero plaudit that they deserve. I am not suggesting in the slightest way that the rank and file of the NPP do not respect President Kufour, far from that; he is duly respected in the Party but what is missing is making him a special personality. And this is what concerns me. It is a fact that in the NPP all members are treated equal and as Alhaji Inusah (may his soul rest in peace) said 'in the NPP there are no junior or senior, all are equal' (he quoted this in twi)
I am certainly not trying to advocate a change of the NPP philosophy but modern politics is increasingly dictating a change on how politics are done. It is not a matter of kissing, hugging, and worshipping President/Ex-President Kufour as a god as supporters of a Shia leader in Iraq Muqtada-al-Sadr (who is fearlessly fighting the America troops in Iraq) do, but a sincere and a genuine loyalty to Mr. Kufour. It is alleged that Mr. Asamoah Boateng, Minister of Local Government, among others, have repeatedly shown loyalty and given the President an unflinching support. Such should be the case, when a President is elected, regardless of your differences with him/her; you bury them and work as part of the team to achieve common goals that will push this country forward. But for some selfish and strange reasons some officials will try to sabotage a President to make him/her unpopular in the eyes of the electorate.

A Country is not built on that pervasive attitude. If anyone thinks his/her ideas are too good to be ignored by the President, then you resign or ask the President to re-assign you to another ministry or even to be a DCE where you will be able to demonstrate your skills and latent talent for the people to see and feel in the District. You don't go on the warpath with the President and start divulging cabinet secrets to the press. From 2009 whether Alhaji Aliu Mahama or Nana Akuffo Addo or Osafo Marfo, or Alan Kyeremanten or Dan Bowte, etc wins the primaries, there must be a concerted effort to help him win the Presidential elections and also during his tenure as President.

I strongly believe that Kufourites should be entrenched in the Party's ethics. A strong loyalty, respect, love and passion for Mr. Kufour should be accorded him. When a good measure of respect and hero salute is accorded Mr. Kufour, it will certainly motivate more talents to perform wonders for the Party and the nation. I also strongly think that the General Secretary, Nana Ohene Ntow, should put in place a structure where members could on a yearly basis, vote for a best Minister/DCE. But does the National Secretariat have computers or a database of all members or resources to embark on such a venture?

Of course the NPP should not treat Ex-President Kufour in the NDC way where there was an allegation that the Gulf Stream Jet and the Australian House were all meant for the Rawlingses as a thank you gesture. The fanatics hero-worship the Rawlingses to the extend that they are prepared to besiege the Court when one of the Rawlingses was summoned before it. The civilised way is, if you want to express your anger, demonstrate outside the court but not inside the court to disrupt the court proceedings.

The NPP must coax and cajole all party activists. After all, it is in the Party's own interest to recognise achievement and reward it. The President has done the Nation proud and all members should never forget him, an important and fitting edifice should be constructed in his honour.

Sadly, it has been alleged that President Kufour favours Hon. Alan Kyeremanten, one of the aspirants of the NPP race. This is increasingly sending a wrong signal to some core party supporters. Having occupied the Presidential Seat for the past six years, he is undoubtedly in the best position to know all what it takes to occupy the highest office of the land and therefore he knows among his lieutenants the one who has the qualities to succeed him and this may understandably push him to favour a particular candidate but in doing so he is likely to face the wrath of some party members thereby jeopardising his chances of retiring 'A Mission Accomplished'. But President Kufour had repeatedly admonished party activists about the ideals of the NPP, which is strongly against an imposition of candidate(s). So the allegation or perception that he is favouring Hon. Alan Kyeremanten is beyond understanding.

At the very beginning when Hon. Kyeremanten was taken away from his Ambassadorial duties in Washington (US) and brought home did rumours spread that Hon. Kyeremanten had been brought to Ghana purposely to be nurtured by Mr Kufour to succeed him. For many years this allegation or perception of President Kufour's support for Hon. Kyeremanten has refused to die. But to the President's credit, he has constantly conceded that as human, one is bound to favour a particular candidate. Nevertheless, one danger, which seems to be emerging which is making all the qualities of Hon. Alan Kyeremanten diminish is the alleged lavish campaign strategy adopted by his team. Today, Hon Kyeremanten. has been given names such 'Alan Cash', 'Monocracy' Kufour man' by the tabloids. Almost all the leading newspapers in the country have repeatedly reported how his strategists are conducting his campaign, seriously if the allegations are true, then, to put it bluntly, his campaign has being conducted naively. I strongly think it is time the NPP National Executives set a limit on the amount any candidate for either a Presidential or Parliamentary primaries can give to Zone/Constituency Executives for transportation. Hon Alan Kyerematen's qualities and capabilities are undisputed but the alleged money bag dominating his campaign train is very unfortunate. Seriously speaking, the alleged Alan cum President Kufour connection is increasingly having a negative effects on both personalities especially when the President has not denied that favouritism. I dare not fault the President if it is true that he prefers Hon. Alan, but the danger of this manoeuvre, hanging over the President's great achievements, is, if his preferred candidate fails to get the mandate of the Delegates in the December Congress.

Surely, the President is capable of handling the situation but as a staunch supporter of Kufourites, the best he can do is to throw his support behind all the candidates, this single step will undeniably bring more supporters to contribute and watch over his 'Pension Status'. Gladly the Statesman newspaper reported that the President was very furious with a particular Minister for allegedly going round canvassing for votes for an aspirant supposedly in the name of the President.
The President has a strong support base and therefore nothing should be done to derail such support. It may well be that all the allegations about the President favouring Hon. Alan are untrue, then Mr. Alan should as a matter of urgency re-structure his campaign tactics and rather focus on telling all the constituencies what he can do to push this country forward.
If Ghanaians will be able to scrutinize the national resources vis-à-vis z workers remuneration, it will emerge that President Kufour has done creditably well. Some critics will be quick to point out the energy crisis as a manifestation of failure on the Kufour Administration. As much as the energy problem is a worrying situation, Ghana is not alone in this mess. Countries such as Argentina, India, and Senegal just to mention a few are all currently facing severe energy crises. The problem, I strongly believe, is the inability of some Ministers to give the public coherent developments of the situation. It is very regrettable that the message delivered by some Ministers in public most often is found to be incoherent. Sincerely, if the developments that led to the energy crisis and the efforts the Kufour administration is doing to solve the problem had been presented well to the public, sympathy could have been accorded the government.

To President Kufour, I say you have managed the country to the best of your ability. and with your Presidency tenure discovering Oil in Ghana, which had for the first time broadcasted throughout the world by the BBC, you are really a blessed man. There is no single country in the world that had had it smooth sailing since 2001 and for the President to skipper the ship through these trying times, I say Ayekoo and some of us will stand side by side with you.

MARTIN KWANING
MITCHAM, SURREY
LONDON, UK