Akwasi Osei-Adjei
An aspiring National Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Akwasi Osei-Adjei, has noted that the Akufo-Addo-led government is building the country on strategic pillars that would strengthen the country’s development, and brighten its transformational agenda.
He said the strategic pillars consist of four social intervention flagship programmes, namely the Free Senior High School, One District One Factory (1D1F), Planting for Food and Jobs, as well as government’s successful digitalisation drive.
Speaking exclusively with the Daily Statesman, he emphasised the need for the party to protect the gains made so far by breaking the eight years’ governance cycle “because the NDC is not a good alternative”.
“The Free SHS, for instance, is a bold and strategic programme sustaining and transforming the country. Education is the best enabler for sustainable economic growth and transformation, and NPP will do more to improve on it for it to serve more and better the futre of our children. It has given opportunity to all Ghanaian children to access SHS education, irrespective of their backgrounds,” he stated.
The former Foreign Affairs Minister added that it had boosted students’ confidence in what they study to meet current and future demands, saying “every Ghanaian child is comfortable in the knowledge that, when they work hard, they would be as capable as anyone else in the world”.
1D1F
The NPP National Chairman hopeful further indicated that the 1D1F initiative is a key component of the industrial transformation agenda of the Akufo-Addo-led government.
“The 1D1F project is building and reviving factories in Ghana. 1D1F is creating jobs and sustainable food supply. The first public-sector-led industrialisation in the country took place in the 1960s, but many collapsed, largely as a result of mismanagement after 1966.
“NPP, under Akufo-Addo’s leadership, has focused on the promotion of commercially viable business ventures. This has generated sustainable and accelerated economic development for rural communities,” he noted.
Planting for Food and Jobs
He also lauded the government’s flagship programme in agriculture, ‘Planting for Food and Jobs,’ describing it as a “strategic pillar for agro processing and food sufficiency”.
Mr Osei-Adjei said the central pillar of Akufo-Addo’s government agricultural transformative policy, launched in April 2017, as well as other flagship agricultural initiatives, had posted impressive growth records that is improving the country’s food self-reliance.
“NPP government would continue to create the enabling environment, and strengthen the linkages between the Programme for Planting for Food and Jobs and the rural industrialisation agenda, the One District, One Factory. This programme is building a sustainable, resilient and equitable food system in the country. And that’s why we must retain power in 2024 to push the needed action to improve the contribution of agriculture to Ghana’s economy,” he stated.
He was confident that the programme would continue to yield significant results in agro processing and food sufficiency.
Party reconciliation
He stressed the need to bring together all NPP members, reconcile with each other, and see themselves as one people with a common agenda.
“We would require discipline and a united front, and… level-playing field for all presidential aspirants to produce an acceptable leader to be backed by all. With unity and committed fellowship, the party and the government’s attractiveness will be urgently restored and deepened,” he said.
The former Member of Parliament for Ejisu-Juaben reiterated that “to ‘break the 8’, it is imperative for the NPP to choose experienced and mature leaders with the requisite wisdom to go back to the tradition of the party, and resurrect the spirit of old and uphold the values of service, sacrifice and reward of the great party.”
Mr. Osei-Adjei vowed to empower the grassroots, strengthen internal democracy, and foster consensus building within the party. He commended party stalwarts for their hard work in service to the NPP tradition, especially in the 2020 general election.
“As the party moves into top gear in rolling out processes for its national executive elections, I entreat all delegates and party faithful to support my candidature as the next national chairman of NPP. Give me the nod to do more because we must do more,” he appealed.
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