Political Aspirants Need To Have Tangible Plans

Mr Franklin Cudjoe, President of Policy Think-Tank-IMANI-Africa, says political leaders should be able to come up with tangible plans that could be scrutinised.

He said this at a forum to discuss a publication entitled: 'The Primary Contenders'-Analyses of the 2018 NDC Presidential Primaries and Candidates'.

The publication written by Dr Etse Sikanku, a political analyst, lecturer and talk show host, seeks to help entrench the nation's democracy, by focusing on the National Democratic Congress's presidential primaries.

Touching on the presidential candidates for the NDC primaries, Mr Cudjoe said 'there are keen leadership qualities in all of them and what counted more was their ability to make accurate estimations and come up with equally suitable solutions.

Professor Yaw Gyampo, Research Fellow with the Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG), said candidates should not make the mistake of assuming that their popularity would necessarily win them votes.

'Go beyond media support or popularity to work out your votes. Popularity does not necessarily mean acceptance,' he said.

Prof Gyampo also said it is important that the aspirants sought clearance with respect to any issues bordering on the country's constitutional provisions that could impede their quest.

Dr Kobby Mensah, expert in political marketing in Africa and a Lecturer at the University of Ghana, said it is important to ensure that elections at the primaries level was determined by the entire citizenry and not the way it is currently being done.

He said this was because the democratic process needed the participation of the general public.

Mr Paul Adom Otchere, seasoned political journalist and social analyst, said the major challenge that the country currently faced was the inability to adequately deliver social services to the people.

He said there is the need for presidential aspirants and politicians to bear this in mind because fulfilling that need was a major requirement for the further consolidation of our democracy.