Alan`s man explains expensive campaign ``We are being assisted by friends and well-wishers``

AS tongues continue to wag with the spotlight on the spendthrift nature of campaign by one of the leading aspirants for the NPP Presidential seat Mr. Alan Kyeremanten, a leading campaign manager of the former Minister has jumped to the defence of his master.

After our Wednesday August 29 publication on the extravagant campaign of the aspirant in which some party faithfuls were reported to have complained vehemently about the development which according to them could set a precedence in the country whereby the Presidency would not be attained on merit but by virtue of one's wealth, Alan's Ashanti Regional campaign manager, Mr. Joseph Amoah says the aspirant is being bankrolled by friends, sympathizers and Businessmen who have one way or the other benefitted from the former Minister's expertise.

According to the Campaign Manager, Mr. Kyerematen was being supported by individuals and private businessmen who believe have become successful as a result of the former Minister's laudable initiatives which he introduced at his Ministry and contributed to the resuscitation of a number of private business enterprises which hitherto were on the verge of collapse.

Amoah who has since expressed his regret for his recent scathing attack on The Chronicle revealed in an interview that several business entrepreneurs who have benefitted from the EMPRETEC programme, which was introduced by the former minister, have voluntarily offered to finance the campaign of the aspirant who they believe have the capacity to transform this nation.

He noted that about 70% of Ghana's high flying entrepreneurs were conservatively estimated to be products of Mr.Kyeremanten's successful EMPRETEC programme and as such most of them continue to show their appreciation to the former Minister through forms of support to his Presidential ambitions. “We occasionally receive phone calls from people we do not even know but who claim to have passed through the EMPRETEC training enquiring about what they can personally do to help Mr.Kyeremanten's campaign.” he added.

Amoah who has personally benefitted from the programme indicated that items like T-shirts, posters and others used in campaigning were being funded by individuals even without the knowledge of the aspirant. He added that nobody should create the impression that things were that rosy and that the Minister was lavishly spending money on the delegates.

The Regional campaign manager who refused to comment on the reports that the aspirant was donating KIA and TATA buses and was also guaranteeing loans for some party constituency executives at the Prudential Bank however indicated that so long as none of the aspirants was using state funds to campaign, he saw nothing wrong with anybody embarking on an expensive campaign even though he did not see Mr. Kyeremanten's campaign as an extravagant one.

Amoah, however, stated that some elements within the party were bent on tarnishing the image of the aspirant who selflessly and effectively served the country in diverse ways as a Minister and a High Commissioner.

He therefore indicated that such attempts would not yield any fruits because the delegates have faith and confidence in the aspirant and that he would definitely emerge victorious come

December 22, 2007 when the delegates exercise their franchise at the National Delegates Conference.