By Abdul Razak Bawa
Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten is the most unqualified candidate for president in 2025; this is how I choose to begin my article from the end.
Like everyone else in Ghana, I have my own ranking as to the people who are best qualified to lead this country, and I do that without any bias, but my looking at each individual on their own strength and what the country needs at this stage of its development.
We are often blinded to make choices based on certain factors, including tribe, religion, political party affiliation etc, and we often lose sight of the most important factors, such as qualification, competence, experience, capacity etc.
What I am about to write is not a biography of Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten, but a small observation about his capacity and intellectual acumen to lead a nation of over 30 million inhabitants.
The fact that Alan wanted to be president is no news, he was the heir apparent of former president John Agyekum Kufuor, even though he had the least experience in governance and politics.
The same mantra that was used to get Nana Akufo-Addo to the presidency is being echoed today, it is my turn to lead, unfortunately Ghana is not a amonarchy.
Ghana is ours…all of us. No one person or group owns the country. Nobody is a slave to anybody. No one has a monopoly of knowledge and vision on how to move Ghana forward.
Alan Kyeremanten is so desperate to be president, he is ready to betray the very government he served in a cabinet position.
The saying that, it is the turn of Alan Kyeremanten to lead the NPP by his supporters is a delusion of grandeur. It is not a pride for any member of the NPP; it is an indictment of the party, because Alan does not have the gravitas to lead one of the biggest political parties in the country.
Essentialism is a philosophy that calls for introspection and finding one’s ‘essence’ that already exists. It fosters an entitlement mentality that explains why some believe that it is their ‘birthright’ to rule and the lot of others to remain as hewers of wood and fetchers of water.
This attitude is now being re-enacted in the form of intrigues and power-play as the NPP get set to choose their presidential candidate.
It is his right and is qualified by the dictates of the Constitution, but he is certainly not the right person to lead a political party, let alone the country.
A leader must possess certain qualities.
For years, Alan Kyereamnten, has been pursuing the Ghanaian Presidency desperately and mischievously. From the onset his ambition was built on the wishes of one man, who wanted Alan to succeed him. President John Agyekum Kufuor, In 2007, a year before President Kufuor, exits office, the NPP had to go to the Congress to elect a flagbearer to lead the party in the 2008 election.
Conventional wisdom dictates that president Kufuor supports his running mate and vice-president, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, who had contested the 2000 and 2004 elections, but instead he chose to support Alan.
This singular act by the former president, is what had emboldened Alan with a sense of entitlement to claim that, it is his time. At the time Kufuor was supporting him, it was not the turn of Alhaji Aliu Mahama.
So from the onset, Alan’s ambition is built on sinking sand. He chose to build a tower, and spend no more labor on the foundation than would be necessary to erect a hut.
Alan Kyeremanten is boring to listen to, he is not articulate and does not inspire confidence. A leader must be able to carry his audience along, he should have the ability to bring a crowd to its feet with elegiac turns of phrase.
Although, in the history of the Fourth Republican dispensation, ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor, has been the odd one out, anytime he speaks he exudes confidence, limber and is warm.
Former president Jerry John Rawlings, was a delight to listen to, his voice echoes wherever he spoke, he was inspiring, with a touch of humour. He was the toast not only of Ghana, but the African continent.
President Rawlings, bestrode the political space like the colossus he was, metaphorically and also physically.
John Evans Atta Mills, was also in a class of his own, he was calm, witty and captivating. He also left you spellbound, he was able to think on his feet and was a masterclass.
John Atta Mill’s profundity and political sagacity combined brilliantly with the diplomatic dexterity was able to display Ghana prominently on the international scene.
Asked to interfere in the conflict in Ivory Coast, the good Professor, said “Dzi wo Fie Asem” to wit mind your business.
Then came John Dramani Mahama, who was just brilliant, his grasp of issues from finance to energy to education, made him the perfect fit for the presidency. His oratorical skills was a quality only few possess.
Anytime he speaks even in opposition, he makes the wages of experience clear. He is eloquent, intelligent and inspire his audience. He always seizes the moment and always gives a vision to embrace. His voice we can carry beyond his goodbye.
Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten is not eloquent: When he speaks extemporaneously, he typically offers a barrage of vague, repetitious sentence fragments filled with broad-brush peculiarities.
Finally, there is nothing, absolutely nothing consequential to which Alan Kyeremanten can point as an achievement in the almost seven years as the Minister of Trade and Industry and which we can use as yardstick to measure how he will perform as president.
The few projects that Alan had embarked upon all ended in unmitigated fiascos.
Alan Kyeremanten is the most unqualified candidate for President in 2024.
Ghana, is far under-developed when compared to the western world where a lot of things that enable quality governance have been put in place. The energy we currently need at different levels of government is that of the youth.
Is there a nexus between age and leadership efficiency? Before President Nana Akufo-Addo’s emergence as the President, may be, I could have said no.
Clearly, age stood between President Akufo-Addo and what people thought he would do differently, we are not ready to hand-over the country to any old man, who should be spending time with his grandkids.
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