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Leadership demands firmness and the sense of consistency in what one says with what one does over different times. This fundamental measuring rod is important for establishing the credibility of persons who are seeking to be leaders in various fronts of our society.
The New Patriotic Party, will present a new Presidential candidate in the next 2024 election. Of course, leadership must matter to the NPP in much the same way, the credibility of aspirants must be of significant concern to the NPP. It is in this light that this article seeks to address a worrying and conflicting trend in the character traits of Mr. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Trade Minister. To start with, the NPP is a nationalist party and for that matter, inclusive of all manner of persons.
This past weekend, something interesting happened at the funeral of the late mother to Assenso Boakye, Housing Minister. A viral video featured a group of ‘paid-wailers’ clad in what appeared as ‘confusing’ NPP colours held themselves out as though they were rented to sing praises on Mr. Alan Kyeremanten at the funeral. Surprisingly enough, this happened few days after the disturbing and inconsequential remarks from Dr. Amoako Baah, a noted agent provocateur, self-styled independent political scientist and immediate past contestant of NPP Chairmanship against the vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia over a mere spontaneous hooray and expression of good wishes by well known party members present at the funeral of the late father to Gabby Asare Otcher-Darko. how Dr Amoako Baah thought about attacking the vice President over the expression of admiration from NPP members has baffled the minds of some NPP members. One would have expected Dr Amoako Baah to have called Alan out just as he had done to the vice President to justify his sense of balance, but this seems to have escaped Dr. Amoako Baaah. It seems Dr. Amoako Baah has become a student of George Orwell’s animal farm doctrine. What could be the motivation of Dr Amoako Baah in his haste to subject the Vice President of Ghana to such open unreasonable attacks but finds comfort with what the rented supporters of Alan are reported to have done?
Apart from the rented small supporters by Alan Kyeremanten, there were posters of Alan and billboards of Alan at the funeral grounds. How were these rented small groups coached by close loyalists of Alan to make noise about Alan at a funeral? Upon Alan’s arrival at the funeral of Assenso’s late mother in Bantama, it appeared his car stopped closely at where his supporters were based at and as expected, the noise began such as ‘Alan de3, y3n de3 nie’ to wit ‘Alan is our own’. My goodness! The one repeated question the Ghanaian public has been asking is; why is Alan consumed in Tribal politics? What is more frightening is how Alan is suddenly and inconsistently shifting from his previously pronounced Fante lineage in 2007 to Asante in 2021. This obviously questions the credibility of Alan. Sadly, it seems to suggest about Alan as an ‘opportunistic’ politician. It has been further asked about whether Alan has lost interest in his age-long rent of people to sleep on the floor for him. That was some how a better strategy than tribal campaign. Of course, everyone is entitled to their strategy but a tribal campaign by Alan Kyeremanten is a threat to the survival of NPP. Shouldn’t the NPP remind themselves about the tiring efforts they spent in dealing with previous tribal campaigns and the many false attributions against NPP by the NDC? It is believed that, Alan is oblivious of these threatening effects against the NPP owing to his known absence from main electoral campaigns.
To speak about 2007, the news archives are replete with how Alan spoke with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about his fante lineage. In one report Alan is reported to have called on NPP delegates to ‘ignore long service and vote for’ him because he is ‘a fante.’ This obviously was a direct attack at then candidate Akufo-Addo who was campaigning on long service to the NPP. Perhaps, Alan inherently has doubts about his commitment and service to the NPP over the years and to get around that obstacle, he thought of beating such tasteless drums. Beside coming up to contest for flagbearership position, what has been Alan’s ‘material’ commitment to the NPP before 2014? Regarding commitments of Alan to the NPP, Mr Boakye Agyarko captured it bluntly in the following “Mr. Kyerematen left town for an international job after losing the primaries. In February of 2011, Mr. Kyerematen, Nana Addo and I had a brief discussion in Nana’s office about his role in the campaign. Later that morning, I had another meeting with Mr. Kyerematen to discuss his role. He intimated he wanted the discussion to continue after his return from Addis Ababa and he promised to stay in touch. In the whole time he was away, he never called ONCE to even check on the progress of the campaign. And of course, he did not return in April as he had indicated.” This explains why Alan Kyerematen has always been scared about commitments and services to the NPP. Readers, are urged to ignore any contrary rambling and baseless noise from some very questionable groups struggling with relevance from fiercest loyalists of Alan Kyeremanten.
Moreover, in another report, Alan in 2007 mentioned to a rally of NPP delegates about his fan of tribal campaign when he said “I am the only Fante in the race so please let me make history for you as the first Fante to be the president but not vice.” People have asked about Alan Kyeremanten’s commitment to our Fante folks or even the NPP central region since 2007 till date. The answer has always been zilch, frankly. Inconsistently, in 2021, Alan is seeking to wage his tribal campaign strategy which failed him in 2007. This time, Alan is testing the waters with Asanteman. Great thinkers of history, have said that, only weak and failing leaders resort to tribal bigotry and divisive campaigns. This style of Alan poses a serious threat to the unity of the NPP and Ghana and every NPP delegate must be worried about this.
Admittedly, the NPP has only served this country in barely eighteen (18) years out of a little over sixty (60) years after Ghana’s independence. Like President Akufo-Addo has said, the NPP have demonstrated to be better managers of the Ghanaian economy and of course Ghanaians have shown their appreciation at all times for the NPP. Thus, it is in the interest of all NPP members and delegates to be worried about this wavering, tribal campaign being waged by Alan Kyeremanten. Such a divisive campaign is a threat to the survival of the NPP and an assault on the future chances of NPP in any elections. Alan’s Presidential ambition must not and cannot override NPP’s common unity as a party. The NPP has a very recent history to guide it and the NPP must be guided rightly.
Dr. Kwaku Nkansah
nkansahkwaku24@gmail.com
Mampong, Kumasi.
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