Ghanaians Want Me As Their President –Alan

Mr. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, the Flagbearer aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) says a scientific research conducted on his behalf and a personal one he conducted with his campaign team indicate that Ghanaians want him as the next president of Ghana.

According to him, apart from this interest that had been shown in him by Ghanaians, he also personally believes that he has what it takes to lead the country. Speaking to senior journalists in Accra on Wednesday, Alan Kyerematen said his track records as Minister for Trade, Industry and President Special Initiatives (PSI) are there for every Ghanaian to see.

He noted that Ghana’s economy needs structural changes to make it export dependent. According to him, it was based on this that as a minister of Trade and PSI, he introduced the Ayensu Starch Factory and PSI in palm plantation. He said Nestle International, after realizing the importance of the Ayensu Factory placed orders for the supply of starch to feed its factories.

He, however, regretted that the company did not only fail to meet this demand but also failed to function properly after NPP left office.

Alan further told the journalists that if the Ayensu Starch Factory and PSI on oil palm was properly handled, it would have brought in a lot of foreign exchange. According to him, Malaysia earns over $26 billion from export of palm oil alone, whilst our primary export, which is cocoa, rakes in a little over $1.5 billion annually. He argued that a country that is import dependent would always face the challenge confronting the Ghanaian economy at the moment, including the free fall of the local currency, the Cedi.

He assured the senior journalists that if NPP delegates give him the nod to lead the party and Ghanaians also vote for him as they have promised, he would change the structure of the economy and make it more export dependent. Alan again told the senior journalists that he did not abandon the party in 2012 as being claimed by a section of the party followers. He explained that soon after losing the 2010 presidential primary contest to Nana Addo, he was head hunted by the United Nations to develop trade policy for Africa.

According to him, before the left the shores of Ghana, he instructed his followers and members of his campaign team to give the maximum support they gave him to Nana Addo, and also to make sure that he wins the presidential race. He took this decision because the people following him were not only working in his interest but that of the party as well. Besides, they cannot claim to love him but at the same time hate the party he (Alan) wanted to lead.

To him, the decision to head hunt him was an honour to the party he belongs to and was, therefore, surprised with all the negatives comments being made about him. Alan also revealed to the journalists that despite his busy schedule and the fact that he had instructed his campaign team to support the national campaign, he still flew down on a number of occasions to support the campaign, but regretted over the way he was treated.

He said though he fueled his car to follow Nana Addo’s campaign, he was never introduced to the people during mini rallies for reason he could not fathom. The man, popularly known as Alan Cash, said despite the shabby treatment meted out to him, he never protested and did what he could as a party man to support the campaign. The presidential aspirant also commented on his promise to pay party followers a whopping GH¢600 million if he was elected the flagbearer.

According to him, he does not have that money in his pocket to dish out but still believes that the promise is achievable. He gave detail method he would apply to achieve his target of paying the delegates. He, however, regretted that his comment should not have become an issue for discussion by a section of the party followers since whatever he would do was in the interest of the party and not him as a person.

Source: The Chronicle