Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, a potential NPP flagbearer and Assin Central MP, claims he is unqualified to advise Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
The outspoken MP claims that despite his 35 years of service in the Ghanaian House of Representatives, the Finance Minister, who only accepts theories, dismisses his economic advice simply because he went to a public school in his hometown of Assin.
“Who am I, to advise the Finance Minister, Assin Middle School? That is why, I want to be president this time and prove them wrong. That what they have been saying are all theories. I want to use pragmatic approach to change the fortunes of this country,” Mr Agyapong said in an exclusive interview with Roland Walker, host of TV3’s NewDay on 16thAugust, 2023.
He also said that because he is not as wealthy as others, his ideas are not valued. Mr. Agyapong claims he has offered the current administration advice on numerous occasions, but the ministers and other decision-makers have consistently disregarded him.
“Wo sika sua, wasem sua. An Akan adage which means, if you don’t have money whatever you say is not taken into account. You can advise but they can choose to take it or not,” he explained.
The NPP flagbearer hopeful added that, “I have not really advised the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo, but I have served on several committees. Especially, when I was on the Agricultural Committee in Parliament, my company took yam to Holland for an experiment, where we proved that the starch content in yam is the same as potatoes. So, we could also store yams in certain conditions and cold temperatures for a period of 8 months.”
“Secondly, I also advised that during the months of June, July, August, Ghana experiences bumper harvest in fish. So, I encouraged that we build cold stores and buy freezers with about -41 degrees celsius which is better than the cold stores with the usual temperatures of -12, -10 degrees to store our fishes, so it meets international standards and then we can export to gain extra revenue,” he disclosed.
None of these pieces of advise, according to the MP for Assin Central, were acted upon by members of the current administration.
In order to alter Ghana’s fortunes through a practical approach, he is pleading with the New Patriotic Party delegates to elect him as the party’s flagbearer and, ultimately, president.
Mr. Ohene Agyapong, who is visiting all 16 districts of Ghana to persuade NPP delegates to support him, thinks that discipline, honesty, and patriotism may transform Ghana’s fortunes.
As a smart businessman and experienced member of parliament, he also thinks Ghana can do better when it comes to employment creation.
One of the 10 candidates running for flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party is Mr. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong.
A Super Delegates Conference has been set on August 26 in order to choose 5 of the 10 candidates who will represent the party in the general elections of 2024.
SOURCE: Ghanaweb.com
