Profile: Kofi Portuphy;the man for NDC chair?
Mr Ebenezer Kofi Ofori Portuphy, one of the candidates aspiring to become the chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), may help to strengthen party unity.
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The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) boss is reported as being the President’s handpick, but with his rich experience in party matters, Mr Portuphy is a veritable candidate in his own right to contest for the highest position of the NDC.
After the balloting exercise held at the party’s headquarters in Accra on Tuesday, December 2, Mr Portuphy picked the number two spot followed by Alhaji Huudu Yahaya and Dr Kwabena Adjei, the incumbent, with Mr Dan Abodakpi picking the number one spot on the ballot.
Track record
Born on June 9, 1950, Mr Portuphy has over many years, demonstrated that he is the man of the grass roots, who has their well-being at heart.
It is for this reason that the Grassroots for Portuphy (G4P) is calling on all delegates to hand over the chairmanship to Mr Portuphy.
“To win power in 2016, the NDC needs a chairman who can galvanise the base, a people’s chairman, and Portuphy is the man,” the G4P stated.
“He is a great son of NDC because of his affinity to the grass roots.
“He is very amiable yet assertive and has respect for all irrespective of age. He has been in the trenches and has suffered persecution for his beliefs, yet he remains resolute and unshakeable.
“The national chairman aspirant holds unparalleled strength, fortitude and love for the citizenry, and as such could help run the affairs of the party and push for the socio-economic development of the country.
“For 32 years I have done humanitarian work in this country; my work is to sacrifice for the party because NDC is the party by the people and for the people," the G4P narrated.
Honorary doctorate
The Dayspring Christian University in the United States of America conferred an honorary doctorate degree in humanitarianism on Mr Portuphy this year.
The award was based on Mr Portuphy's selfless devotion to humanitarian activities which spanned more than three decades.
At a special congregation held at the School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences of the University of Ghana in Accra, the awarding university said it took into consideration Mr Portuphy's years of knowledge and understanding of humanitarian activities.
The awards ceremony was organised under the auspices of the Diplomatic College, an affiliate of the Dayspring University.
Enumerating the NADMO boss's contributions and accomplishments in a citation, the university said there was no doubt that Mr Portuphy had served mankind and his nation with distinction.
It said Mr Portuphy was a shining example for the youth.
His vision
His key vision for seeking the national chairmanship is to reinvigorate the NDC as a formidable social democratic party for all Ghanaians.
“I want to see the NDC as a formidable party using its social democratic principles to improve the lives of Ghanaians,” he told the Daily Graphic recently.
He noted that as the NDC sprang out of the people, it was time the party shifted momentum to meet the day-to-day expectations of its members and the entire Ghanaian populace.
According to him, his priority was to win the 2016 election, pledging to work hard if given the opportunity to build stronger internal political structures that would help the NDC fulfill its mission of retaining political power.
His mission
He said he was prosecuting his mission on the key pillars of restoring genuine unity to the party and helping to build a vanguard of young party enthusiasts to facilitate the achievement of the aspirations of the party.
In Mr Portuphy’s view, if the NDC is not united, it could not win elections.
“It is obvious in many of our branches and constituencies across the country that our members, former functionaries, ambassadors and MPs feel sidelined or ignored. It is time to galvanise all these people for the party to sustain maximum unity. When we are united, we can work as a team,” Mr Portuphy, who is also known as “Mr Pee,” stated.
He stressed that building a strong democratic tradition within the NDC for its members to be seen and regarded as true social democrats was dear to him.
As the director of elections in the NDC since 2002, Mr Portuphy said it was his core objective to strengthen electoral mechanisms and structures, as well as help the party to retain power in the 2016 election.
He reiterated his determination to make his services available to everybody in the party and in the event encouraged not only the national executive but also all leaders to make themselves accessible.
He appealed to all former executive members and ministers, ambassadors, district chief executives and party members, to fully engage themselves in party activities for electoral victory in 2016.
Mr Portuphy, also a founder member of the NDC, believed it was time he was elevated to the national chairman position because of his vast experience and the work he has done for the party and the nation, adding that the of his work had yielded for the party and even those who did not belong to the NDC.
“My work in the NDC party links up with the minority parties and it helps to build bridges for national consensus. That is why I am contesting,” he added.
Prediction of victory
Mr Portuphy has predicted overwhelming victory over his co-contestants in the upcoming election, saying, “This is as a result of the good works I have done over the years as a member of the party, which have brought about gains in all endeavours of the party.
“My works and all the things I have done for the party are clear for all to see and that alone would do the trick for me.”
Mr Portuphy, who is also the national vice chairman of the party, he has, therefore, urged all members of the party, especially the grass roots supporters, to continue with their campaign to ensure a massive win for him.