Alan Kyerematen
I didn’t really follow the last two contests for the New Patriotic Party’s presidential ticket. In 2007, the candidates were just too many to track all messages. In 2010, it was obvious who was going to win so I didn’t bother. But I have always being interested in Alan Kyerematen who together with Nana Addo appear to be the best the NPP has to offer. While everyone tries once for that ticket, both men have done it twice. But Mr. Kyerematen disappears after each battle and shows up for the next.
He is contesting for the 2016 ticket. It is evident from the calibre of people contesting in 2014 that it will be a two-horse race again. However because of his disappearance acts and the drama his last two campaigns generated, I missed out on his opinions on issues and policies for transformation.
Hence I have been keenly following his campaign for 2016. I have watched every television interview, read every newspaper and online story, and listened to radio interviews over and over but all I have found so far are opinions and nothing else.
He is always listing problems or telling NPP supporters they need power. Where he has offered solutions, they have been laughable – the kind that makes the idea of a President Kyeremanten scary. Take, for example, his proposal to halt the decline of the cedi by organising a national forum on the state of the economy. As if we haven’t held enough forums already.
Mr. Kyeremanten did a lot of speaking last week. He was at the Graphic-Fidelity Breakfast meeting on the theme “Maximizing the value of exports to improve Ghana’s trade balance.”
As a former Trade Minister, this is an area I expected him to show how we could maximize exports.
“We need to identify new strategic pillars of growth which will diversify the export base of our country,” he said. “It is an indictment on all of us that for over 100 years, we’ve not been able to think beyond cocoa in terms of pushing our export agenda.”
Kyeremanten also said that “an export-led growth strategy [should] be placed at the centre of Ghana’s national development agenda.” I don’t know where Mr. Kyerematen expects me to find that “export-led growth strategy” bowl. But I want to tell him that a man seeking to govern a country shouldn’t be hawking “we need to identify” policies.
Just because the NPP won’t be holding debates to educate their supporters on the policies of prospective candidates doesn’t mean the rest of us don’t care. We want to know exactly HOW he plans to reverse economic decline, reduce maternal and child mortality, stem corruption, improve our roads and boost the quality of education.
The next time Mr. Kyeremanten speaks I want to hear about those plans instead of those hollow speeches filled with things like that “NATO nation – No Action Talk Only.” I want to hear and read about his vision for Ghana. He must give us the tangible things he hopes to achieve within a 4-year term.
If the possibility of someone stealing his ideas and policies is the reason for those empty speeches, he should know Ghanaians can tell the difference in the implementation process. As the Agbogloshie traders will tell you every tomato seller has a clientele. It is all in the packaging.
Interesting observation.
I will forgive you for the show of ignorance but at least, you could have relied on Google to be of help.
Mr Kyerematen has made several interventions on the way forward for Ghana. Go check with the Graphic Business Meeting, where he made the NATO comment and see how he showed his preparedness to lead Ghana. So far, he is the only politician who has shown that GHANA first before any other consideration.
Check this link from Graphic where he talks on the declining cedi and its impact on the Ghanaian economy. – See more at: http://graphic.com.gh/news/politics/17795-alan-speaks-on-economy-and-proposes-bold-measures-to-arrest-declining-cedi.html#sthash.Orj6FxAo.dpuf
Whilst I do appreciate your opinion, in an aim to be objective I’m led to remind you that all you have observed with regards to Alan can be said about Nana in his 2016 campaign. Furthermore, someone wanting the best for the NPP and Ghana and yet still finding so many deep flaws in Alan’s campaign should perhaps open up the focus to substantial evaluation of the other candidates. It is only a two horse race because we’ve been too lazy to open the trapdoor for other horses and excuse that laziness as a result of those candidates’ “calibre”. I hope you don’t take any offence to my response.
Fair point. I haven’t said Nana Addo is the best. I have written about him yet, doesn’t mean I won’t. Alan’s time just came after that meeting.
Great. well keep up the writing nonetheless, it all makes for a great read. I look forward to your opinions as things develop.
This writer knows nothing about Alan or is refusing to write the truth..has your nana addo also given any intervention? Why don’t mention that *but your nana addo and others have not even suggested any*