Have a second thought, Nana

The rumour that Nana Akuffo Addo is considering resigning from government to concentrate on his political campaign for the NPP flagbearership is something he must think over and over. I am not among the advisers of Nana Akuffo Addo, but I admire him and see him as a man carved in a niche to become the next president of Ghana.

Nana contested and lost honourably, the primaries that subsequently brought president Kufour to power but thereafter whole-heartedly supported Mr. Kufour and the NPP campaign team to conquer the then

'UNTOUCHABLES' in power. Most Ghanaians including me admired his effort and ever since I have followed his hard work and desire to help move the nation and the party forward. What, to me, is very unfortunate in what is going round the 'rumuor mill' about Nana's idea to resign to enable him concentrate on his campaign. As much as Nana should get ample time to carry on with his campaign to become the flagbearer, he should know that he, together with others helped to put in place a remarkable machinery for the campaigns in the 2000 and 2004 elections and so he can continue to do his ministerial work and get the foot soldiers working for him. Except that he cannot put in place a very strong, trustworthy and illustrious team to work on his behalf - 'like it happened to a defeated NPP candidate in the last elections' This very good friend stayed in Accra and went to the constituency once in a while thinking the foot soldiers were working, only to know after the defeat that they only sang hymns of " all is well" when that fine professor was around, but fought among themselves when he went back to Accra.

Nana, I have followed politics in Ghana for sometime to know that ours is very dirty if not the dirtiest in all over Africa where people can shamelessly talk about a crime one will commit in the next five or more years in his or her life. Not forgetting lies that could be told as though the teller is a parent of the one the story is being told about. I read an article in which someone wrote nicely about you, but somewhere along the line said your biggest problem is to do with ''women' as though that is the highest on your profile 'nothing less or more than that'. I advise that if that is true, you try to work very hard on it, for we all heard that it was the crave for women that led to the sudden collapse of the late Kutu Acheampong of Ghana Sunni Abacha of Nigeria and his subsequent death of the latter. May their souls rest in peace.

Nana, let me tell you straight in the face that if you resign, you should forget about your ambition to become the next president of Ghana. For even if you win the primaries to become the flag bearer of NPP, the odds will be against you. Note that in Ghana, people see resignation from one's position as a serious issue other than, sometimes just the right way of dealing with a challenging issue. The talk on the lips of people, both the known and the unknown' will be that "NANA COULD NOT EVEN MANAGE A SMALL MINISTRY" how could he manage the affairs of the whole country. And that will spell your doom. That will also mean you could not serve in the current administration to the very end. The chorus Ghanaians will sing will be that you could not be a good team player. Some might even say you are self-centered without digging deep into the real reason behind your resignation. My heart is sometimes filled with sorrow when I hear some unfortunate news about you. I know they are all not true, but that is to say be on your guard. People say you are arrogant, you are connected with the busted Nkoranza MP heroine deals etc. All these point to the fact that you should be very cautious in your dealings.

I also have trouble with President Kufour. Mr. President. I love you and appreciate the very good work you are doing. You should know that NPP had been in the hearts of many Ghanaians not because of only you, but because there are remarkable democratic structures existing in it. Please remember that whatever legacy you leave will have a greater bearing on you when you leave office and so try to be circumspect with the way you deal with the internal issues in the party. I know that you might be going through a lot challenges from some members "so called" party gurus, it will be very prudent on your part to remain neutral on some of the internal issues that go in the party, but at the same time try to help solve them. That will make you a real father of the party.

Take from the respect, goodwill and the likes former president Nelson Mandels is enjoying from the ANC and the world over. It is because he is acting as areal father of ANC. You should also take a cue from the popular 'Swedru declaration' and what it did and continues to do a 'FINE' party like NDC'. Up till now and for many years to come Ghanaians will never consider Prof Atta Mills as a man of himself just because of what people perceive of him as being manipulated by his 'BOSS'. Eventough he is a nice man of proven intelligence.I will shed endless tears if the current political goodwill the NPP is enjoying from Ghanaians fades away.

Nana please, bury any difference you have with anybody including the president' if only there exist something like that', and get ready for the battle. You should note that for all other candidates whose names I have been hearing of, none of them possesses the qualities you have, but that does not mean you should under estimate their chances.

To all the noble NPP people who will vote at the primaries to elect a flagbearer for the party for election 2008, cast your minds back to political trail of the party from 'Prof Adu Boahen and President Kufour', 'President Kufour and Nana Akuffo Addo' and so on and so forth. Note that Nana can do the work and he also possesses the charisma to lead the way.

We should consolidate our position in the political game and know that in all that we do, Ghana's growth and development in all spheres are what we must strive for.

Long Live NPP. Long Live Ghana.