Addo Kufuor Jumps

Dr. Philips Kwame Addo-Kufuor yesterday cleared another major hurdle when he launched his bid to bear the presidential flag for the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Addo-Kufuor, or 'Doctor' as he is fondly called, stood in front of a packed audience in the conference hall of the Onant Court Hotel at East Legon telling the large turnout of media personnel why he is the man to be voted for by the NPP delegates.

From the construction of toilet facilities for his Manhyia Constituency at Kumasi to the completion of Phase 2 of the 37 Military Hospital as well as the building of the Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Training Centre, Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor held his audience spell-bound as he made his power-point presentation.

Those who could not land seats even though they turned up before the 6.30pm scheduled time just milled about because after all, the public address system was audible enough to allow them to listen to the man who wants to lead the NPP to the 2008 polls.

The immediate past Defence Minister's presentation, which was laced with touches of humour, saw his audience breaking into applause.

He appeared to have attracted the respect of his audience when he occasionally gave credit to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) regime for certain projects which he said he had continued.

“I would give credit to the previous government where this is due. They began the renovation of the 37 Military Hospital but we accomplished the second phase,” he said, attracting a long applause from his audience who no doubt did that because of the touch of sincerity they saw in him.

Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor is the second aspirant to formally declare his ambition to media personnel after Nana Akufo Addo who engaged the media on Tuesday about his vision for Ghana, should he become the president.

Besides a pictorial and verbal presentation of his achievements during his tenure as MP, Defence and Interior Minister, Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor unfolded what he intends to do for Ghana, should he be given the nod.

“Addo-Kufuor regime will tackle rural poverty. Poverty of the peasant food crop producer is the Achilles' heel of Ghana's agricultural production,” he stated.

The physician/politician's package for the health sector, if he wins the nod to lead Ghana, is not surprising because of his background.

He took active part in producing the health segment of the NPP manifesto, a passion which is still burning in him.

The health sector, he said, would be one of the two main areas of his government's attention.

According to him, this sector's main problem has to do with the brain-drain which has seen many of its experts leave for greener pastures elsewhere to the detriment of the economy and the tax payer.

To stem the trend, he noted that he would ensure the unfolding of improved service conditions, housing and means of transport for health staff.

Also to be provided, he indicated, would be a post graduate training programme for interested health personnel.

To attract Ghanaian health staff abroad, Dr. Addo-Kufuor mentioned a programme to sponsor accommodation and transportation for such persons.

On the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) which he pointed out has by and large done well, he said it is beset with challenges such as negative attitudes by some health professionals, including what he called the irresponsible attitude of some registered members who apart from moving from one facility to another, occasionally front for relatives.

The most significant challenge confronting the scheme, he observed, is the high cost of drugs which would be tackled by encouraging the establishment of a local consortium of drug manufacturers and their foreign partners to build pharmaceutical factories to produce and sell medicines at affordable prices.

In the area of justice, he announced that the automation exercise in the judiciary would be extended to all courts in the country, adding, “a suggestion would be made to the Chief Justice if it would be possible for judges to take their annual leave individually at different periods of the year so that the courts would function effectively throughout the year.”

The major steps towards enhancing energy provision in the country notwithstanding, Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor said his government would speedily construct dams on major rivers like Pra and Ankobra in the Western Region because of the favourable rainfall pattern in that part of the country.

To alter the lot of farmers whose performance has led to significant GDP growth in recent times, he said “an Addo-Kufuor government would encourage agro-processing by establishing cottage industries and crop-farmer-based organizations with soft loans and agric inputs”.

To demonstrate his commitment to the eradication of corruption, which he said exposes representative governance to the attacks of enemies of democracy, he recalled how during his tenure as minister, he offered all the contracts that he signed to the Ghana Institute of Surveyors and the Auditor General for forensic auditing.

“A positive report would no doubt make it difficult for opponents of government to accuse it of corruption so far as the Ministry of Defence is concerned,” he pointed out.

Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor told the media that he would publicly declare his assets when he becomes president and direct all appointees to do same.

Relishing the economic achievements of the NPP since it assumed power, to which he gleefully associated himself, the former Minister said when he comes to power, he would persuade the Bank of Ghana to put a bit of pressure on the commercial banks to ensure that prime and lending rates move in tandem, a situation which he said is called moral suasion in Britain.

To tackle the shortcomings of the education reform programme, Addo Kufuor said he would see to a close collaboration between the District Assemblies, religious bodies and traditional authorities in the various localities.

Other measures that he would take to enhance this sector would be the motivation of teachers, the provision of books and an emphasis on technical, agricultural and vocational education.

The presidential aspirant added that there would be an exchange programme with other countries for resource persons and equipments.

School-dropouts, he contended, would benefit from a community-based apprenticeship programme through an elaborate 'training the trainer' arrangement and provision of necessary equipment.