Advertisement

Dr Kwabena Duffuor (right) talking to some team members of the Ahotor project during the press conference. Among them are Yaw Boateng Gyan (2nd from right) and Rojo Mettle Nunoo (3rd from left). Picture: EBOW HANSON
Dr Kwabena Duffuor (right) talking to some team members of the Ahotor project during the press conference. Among them are Yaw Boateng Gyan (2nd from right) and Rojo Mettle Nunoo (3rd from left). Picture: EBOW HANSON

‘Ahotor’ for building party, not presidential primaries - Dr Kwabena Duffuor

A former Minister of Finance under the late President John Mills administration, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, has said what motivated him to roll out the Ahotor project was not to win the presidential primaries of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) but to help build a strong party that could wrest power from the current government.

He said it was, therefore, aimed at strengthening the grass roots of the party to win political power in 2024 and beyond and not to advance his presidential ambition, as had been perceived.

“The foundation is the priority and the most important of anything you do, and even the Bible said ‘if the foundations are destroyed what can the righteous do’,” he said, adding that a party with weak foundation was no party.

Dr Duffuor, who is also a former Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), said this at a press conference held in Accra last Wednesday to throw more light on the Ahotor project.

So far the project, initiated by Dr Duffuor has presented event rental equipment to eight constituency offices of the NDC in the Ashanti Region to help constituency executives undertake income-generating activities for the day-to-day running of the party.

Items/Beneficiaries

Each of the constituencies received GH¢30,000 worth of items comprising four marquee canopies, 100 plastic chairs and a full set of sound system, including microphone, full range speakers, amplifiers and a mixer.

The beneficiary constituencies are Dombroso, Sekyere Afram Plains, Kumawu, Agogo, Offinso North, Efigya Kwabre South, Asante Mampong, New Edubiase and Tafo. The items are to be used for rentals for outdoor events such as naming ceremonies, funerals, political party activities among others, as well as for the activities of the party.

Dr Duffuor also accused the current government of not being serious in building a strong economy to foster growth, hence his desire to strengthen the NDC to wrest power to lay a strong foundation for the economic growth of the country from 2024.

“We have no other motive than to ensure that the NDC has a strong foundation, a strong party and a strong government,” he stated.

Expansion

The Head of the Ahotor Project, Abass Osabutey, for his part said the support would be extended to all the 276 constituency executives of the party in phases.

He said the project was a business model that sought to improve and enhance the chances of the grass roots to have sustainable and more predictable sources of income that would be used for the day-to-day management of the party at the constituency level.

Implementation

To ensure the successful implementation of the initiative, Mr Osabutey said the NGO had engaged the NDC party at the national level to jointly allow officials from both sides to implement the project.

He said they had also agreed to allow the party run its activities at the constituency level without conflicting with the running of the business model.

“Hence, we are selecting party members to run the services on behalf of the party at the constituency level so that we do not overburden the constituency executives with running the project,” he said.

Connect With Us : 0242202447 | 0551484843 | 0266361755 | 059 199 7513 |