VEEP position not for only economists -Isaac Adongo
The Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Mr Isaac Adongo, has said that the Vice Presidential position is a leadership role and not an economic role which requires an economist.
He said although the Vice President plays the role of leading the government’s Economic Management Team, the individual must not be an economist to be able to play that role.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra, he said “one of the most iconic and critical roles of a Vice President of Ghana is to provide leadership for the Economic Management Team. Although not a Constitutional or legal requirement, this role has become a practice passed on from past political administrations.
“The question therefore, is: 'is the role of Head of the Economic Management Team a specialist economic role? It is obviously not. As a component of the various delegated functions of the Vice President, this role is a general leadership role and not one requiring of a technical, specialist economist. Rather, it requires a gifted, experienced and a diverse leader who can pull various expertise and the array of technical skills to achieve high results of key national goals,” he stated.
As the second in command, he said the VEEP was expected to lead, direct and manage an array of talent and expertise on the economy to achieve stability and growth to the long term benefit of the country.
He said this was not the role that required the head to provide hands-on economic management of state institutions mandated to deliver on agriculture, manufacturing, services, infrastructure, natural resource governance and social protection, to mention but a few.
“Indeed, Ghana’s economy enjoyed one of the most stable periods between 2009 and mid-2012 when H. E. John Dramani Mahama was the Vice President and the leader of the EMT. Within the period, non-oil growth picked up tremendously; it consistently registered about eight per cent growth year after year, with overall economic growth peaking at 14.4 per cent in 2011.
“Inflation, on the other hand, reverted to single digit and stayed there for the longest period ever up to date, while the exchange rate was stable and private sector growth rebounded, among others. Under the astute Communicator as Head of the EMT, these successes were chalked up, owing to the sterling leadership ability of the then Vice President Mahama to marshal the diverse expertise and technical know-how in the government to achieve prosperity for all Ghanaians,” he pointed out.
Nomination of Naana Opoku-Agyemang
Mr Adongo said the nomination of Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang as the Vice Presidential candidate of the NDC would sow the seed and create the pathway for hardworking and qualified women to aim for the topmost job of the land.
“We have shown the capacity to tolerate and nurture the talents of everybody, especially women. By appointing Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, as running mate, the visionary and inclusive former President Mahama is giving confidence to women and hand-holding them into the apex of the political ladder in Ghana.
“The Presidency, has been the sole prerogative of men since independence in 1957. Indeed, the appointment of Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang provides Ghana and Africa as a whole a rare opportunity to tap the enormous benefits of, not just a woman, but a lady of strong acumen of international repute, as the second in command in the management of the nation. This is unparalleled in our nation's history,” he stated.
