The 2012 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, yesterday launched his third bid for the position of the flag bearer of the party in Accra with a declaration that he was psychologically, physically and emotionally strong enough to wrest political power from the “incompetent National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration”.
Launching his campaign at Akwei’s House at his birthplace in Odododiodioo in Accra, Nana Akufo-Addo assured Ghanaians that he was ready to provide the competent leadership that would transform and restore confidence to the economy.
The event attracted a number of Members of Parliament, some regional chairmen and almost all the constituency chairmen from the Greater Accra Region, who came there openly to declare their support for Nana Akufo-Addo.
Party’s guidelines
However, the party’s rules and regulations governing the organisation and conduct of election of presidential candidates in 2014 frown on MPs or party officers at all levels openly declaring support for a particular candidate.
According to the party’s regulations, “Party officers at all levels, national, regional, constituency, electoral area, polling station, overseas branch (international), as well as MPs, shall refrain from openly declaring support of any branch, constituency or organ for any individual candidate or campaigning for them.”
It further directs that “no national, regional, constituency, electoral area, polling station, or overseas branch officer shall issue a press statement in support of any candidate.”
No better Ghana
Nana Akufo-Addo, who was accompanied by his wife, Rebecca, and his running mate for the 2008 and 2012 elections, Dr Mahamudu Bawumiah, said it was clear that the Mahama administration was wreaking havoc on the populace.
“We are two years in the second term of the NDC and the better Ghana they promised in 2008 remains an empty slogan,” Nana Akufo-Addo stated.
“There can be no better Ghana when our young people cannot find jobs, when rulers are not listening to the concerns of the people and when clueless leaders are in power,” he said.
According to the flag-bearer hopeful, there has been no better Ghana as the healthcare system the NDC government inherited is-worse than it was years back and the cedi is the worst-performing currency in Africa and the second in the world.
Expressing worry about the ailing economy, high taxes, high utility, high fuel prices, which, he said, were killing businesses, Nana Akufo-Addo said the crisis facing Ghana was triggered by the lack of confidence Ghanaians had in the NDC leadership.
“The people have lost confidence in President Mahama and the NDC’s ability to govern, and this is clearly evident in the unprecedented nationwide demonstrations that have rocked the country recently; from traders, industrial workers, railway workers, health workers, teachers etc.
“All these are happening due to the harsh conditions prevailing in the economy,” Nana Akufo Addo lamented.
He further stated that it was the lack of confidence in the NDC leadership that caused the government to embark on the disgraceful flying of money to Brazil to pay the Black Stars, saying, “It gives me no pleasure how things are unfolding; indeed, the chicken has come home to roost”.
Again, in his view, Ghana is sick because of what the NDC did in its desperation to win the 2012 elections.
He noted that the international community was puzzled about how the country had sunk into such an economic mess, with investors now worried over investing in the country.
He gave the assurance that the NPP had the leadership competence to transform the economy and reverse the depreciation of the cedi.
“Indeed, we will put Ghana to work, stabilise the cedi, which we have done before, manage the economy well and make the private sector the engine of growth, as well as mobilise Ghanaians, irrespective of their political affiliation, to join hands to develop our nation,” he said.
