Freddie Blay
The National Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie W. Blay, has cautioned that the rank and file of the NPP should not think the December 7 general election is going to be a walk-over, saying “if we sleep, we are going to slip.”
He said the Akufo-Addo-led NPP administration had been able to restore the country on the path of progress but every member would have to continue to sell the good works of the President and his team to the public to warrant another deserved mandate of the public.
He said the NPP was going into the election with an opponent who was capable of smearing everybody for the sake of victory and must not be allowed to reverse the gains that President Akufo-Addo and the NPP had made so far.
President’s Region
Mr. Blay gave the caution in Koforidua when he visited the Eastern Region as part of his tour of the country to assess the preparedness of the party toward the general election, saying “this is the President’s region. His good works and the achievements of his government should guarantee a comprehensive victory in the Eastern Region, but we have to work even harder to make that happen.”
He said, “I have been around for quite some time and I have witnessed the performance of various governments over the years. I can boldly tell you that no government in our history as a country has achieved even 60 per cent of what has been done in the first term of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the NPP administration,” he said.
Nana’s Mantle
Mr. Blay said that since President Akufo-Addo assumed office he had been able to supervise the successful implementation of the Free SHS, reviving the industrialization of the country through the 1D1F, started Planting for Food and Jobs, which had revolutionalized agriculture and was ensuring food security, started many road projects and interchanges, reviving the railway sector, investing heavily in the health sector and changing the phase of basic and tertiary education.
He also said the financial sector is fast becoming robust after a massive digitization drive; economic indicators are showing positive signs with rating agencies giving positive outlooks; expanding the economy for more jobs to be created; and handling the Covid-19 pandemic to the admiration of many around the world.
He said Ghanaians would definitely consider the laudable efforts of President Akufo-Addo and renew his mandate for another four years to continue his good works, and added that the opposition NDC led by former President John Mahama messed up the economy and the electorate could not put the future of the country in their hands once again.
Amidu Issue
The NPP Chairman later granted interview to Taste FM in Koforidua and said the resignation of Martin Amidu as the Special Prosecutor should not make the party lose focus, but rather continue to concentrate on the bread and butter issues and let his conscience and the good people of Ghana be the judge.
“It is unthinkable and unacceptable to hear of the resignation of the former Special Prosecutor, whose appointment was greeted with mixed reactions from the Ghanaian populace. While some thought Mr. Amidu was the perfect person to occupy the position as the first Special Prosecutor, there were contrary sentiments from some members of the minority in Parliament and the NDC, including some members of the ruling NPP. Many described Mr. Amidu as a self-righteous person, with an erratic persona. Others also said his temperament was not cut for such high office, particularly when he had the opportunity to occupy the position of Attorney General and Minister of Justice during the Presidency of the late Prof. John Evans Atta Mills,” Mr. Blay said.
Past Issues
“The circumstances leading to his dismissal and his counter allegations leveled against the then President and other allegations that Mr. Amidu threatened to beat up the then President Prof. Mills were there for all to see,” he said, adding that “Mr. Amidu’s resignation was bad for both himself and those who against all odds placed their trust in him despite stiff opposition. This included a legal challenge by some members of the NDC, a party he belong to and once served as its vice-presidential candidate.”
“His Excellency the President reposed enormous trust in Mr. Amidu and offered him the greatest Honour as the first impartial Special Prosecutor, however, it was unfortunate that Mr. Amidu’s conduct had proven the sceptics right, most of whom predicted that Mr. Amidu would resign in the not-so-distant future under strange and unthinkable circumstances. One of such skeptic was Mr. John Ndegbugre, who on the day of Mr. Amidu’s appointment, stated categorically that he had known Mr. Amidu over the years and felt he was not cut out for such an appointment. He further predicted Mr. Amidu would resign in the near future,” he noted.
“I believe that Mr. Amidu’s resignation is politically motivated. This is because on one occasion he decided not to investigate Mr. Mahama on his involvement in the Airbus bribery scandal because of the impending general elections, thus, offering him strange and unconstitutional immunity. However, he found it expedient to resign less than three weeks to the 2020 general elections,” he said.
Leaders Meeting
Mr. Blay, before concluding his Eastern regional tour, held a meeting with regional executives, MMDCEs, constituency executives, patrons, government appointees, regional campaign team members as well as some leading members of the NPP in the Eastern Region.
He applauded the support the government appointees and regional patrons continuously offered the various constituencies and asked the regional party to work towards 70 per cent of the popular votes, which was a little above the regional target of 67 per cent of the popular votes.
The Roads Minister, Kwasi Amoako-Atta, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues and other government appointees, shared the sentiments of the National Chairman and pledged that the region would unite to deliver the needed victory for the NPP.
The Regional Chairman, Kiston Akomeng Kissi, thanked the National Chairman, the President, the Vice-President, government appointees, volunteer groups, the national campaign team led by Chairman Mac Manu and the party leadership for their constant support and the training offered them.
The National Chairman was accompanied on the tour by some officials including Dr. Dominic Eduah, Executive Director of GNPC Foundation; Dr. Charles Dwamena, Deputy Ambassador to China; and Richard Asante Yeboah, Deputy National Communications Director and government spokesperson on infrastructure.
From Daniel Bampoe, Koforidua