Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong
A former General Secretary and presidential hopeful of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, has emphasised the need for a fresh approach to governance in order to steer Ghana towards the desired “promised land” of prosperity and progress.
Speaking during his campaign launch yesterday at the Silicon House, Tesano, Ing. Agyepong called for a new lease of life, energy, systems thinking, and structural approaches that facilitate meaningful change.
He asserted that Ghana is at a critical juncture in its history, and requires a paradigm shift to overcome its challenges in reaching its full potential.
He further stressed the importance of infusing new life into the country’s governance systems.
Regeneration
“We cannot change things by simply doing the same things that got us into this spot of bother. Leadership is of critical importance in social relations everywhere in the world. Ghana is no exception, and needs leadership regeneration. We must agree on this New Dawn, New Direction, New Dimension,” he stated.
He believes that it is time Ghana and the governing NPP stood in need of regeneration and renewal. He stressed the need to usher in a ‘NEW DAWN’ of astute political leadership with a clear vision and plan that inspires hope in the youth and rekindles the faith of all Ghanaians in Ghana’s constitutional democracy.
Ing. Agyepong added that the country must heal itself from the chronic polarisation that has become an ugly feature of the country’s politics, saying “even within political parties, polarisation is now at an all-time high, stridently divisive”.
“The task ahead of Ghana in trying to reach sustained development is massive. We must all gird our loins and prepare to join me on this inspired journey. We, the citizens of Ghana, in a true democracy, are the royals of our beloved country. We must rise and save this country from further decline. Ghana must rise to the heights it should easily be capable of,” he stated.
New Dawn
He explained that the NEW DAWN is hinged on a lean, wholly downsized government, one that works efficiently and effectively to deliver to the aspirations and expectations of the Ghanaian people.
“The Ministries will be reconfigured to align with the constitutional Cap of 19 Cabinet, to be assisted by an equal number of deputies in addition to the 16 in the regions making up a team of 54. Stakeholder consultations will be undertaken to introduce an upper limit of 9 Judges on the Supreme Court and possibly remove the retirement age of 70 and allow Supreme Court judges to serve until they are unable to perform their functions,” he added.
He vowed to enforce law and order, imposing discipline and ensuring compliance of rules and regulations. He said he will cut waste in the public sector by ensuring that there is value for money in public procurement.
Drawing heavily on his engineering background to illustrate that sense of efficiency he is mooting, he indicated his commitment to facilitate the freeing up of vital resources to support the empowerment of the youth through technical education, entrepreneurship, and small business start-ups.
Civil & public service sanity
He also promised to restore meritocracy and professionalism to the Civil and Public services by significantly reducing unbridled politicization and interference. “It is time to end the wasteful seminars, workshops, fora, and expensive retreats, and rather move into implementation mode, utilising the recommendations of the huge volumes of reports gathering dust,” he stressed.
On urban regeneration and renewal, he stated that a structured, coordinated, and integrated approach must be adopted and implemented to create more liveable cities and human settlements where basic needs do not become a permanent dream. “A Technical Advocacy Committee (TAC) of the professional bodies within the Built Environment (Surveyors, Planners, Architects and Engineers) will be set up to help resolve the challenges thereof,” he added.
In the Creative Arts, Ing. Agyepong noted that the issue of protection of intellectual property and copyright is dear to him, stressing that “creatives need to be empowered to own their work and earn a decent living from their talent”.
Collectiveness
He said his proposed policies require a collective commitment that binds all gender, faiths, people from all parties, and every single ethnic group in the country, including peasants, workers, bosses, among others, to make that vision a reality.
Unveiling his vision for a united and prosperous Ghana, he promised to champion inclusive leadership if elected. He emphasised the importance of embracing diversity and ensuring that every Ghanaian has an equal voice and opportunity to contribute to the nation’s development as well as enjoy the national cake.
“I promise inclusive leadership, one that unites this country from Hamile, to Pusiga, through Kintampo to Elubo and Aflao, one that restores the dignity of our people and gives every citizen a reasonable opportunity to live out their full potential so we can secure our common future. I am equipped to provide that sort of leadership that will restore the party as a genuinely united force to enhance our capacity to deliver that elusive third consecutive victory in 2024,” he assured.
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