Businessman and politician, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, has said the best of Ghana in terms of human resource is not found in the political parties but rather outside of the political arena.
He, therefore, stressed the need to harness all of Ghana’s human resources in order to propel the country’s development to the next stage.
This belief forms the basis of Dr. Nduom’s interest and the quest of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) to see the formation of a coalition government for Ghana in 2017 so as to tap and maximize the talents of all its citizens for nation building.
The PPP, of which Dr. Nduom is a founder member, is on record to have declared that it will open its doors to any political party and other like-minded individuals to form an alliance to bring about change in Ghana in the 2016 elections.
Already the PPP has opened talks with some smaller political parties for a possible merger, whiles some contacts have been made with leading personalities who matter when it comes to politics in the country.
Speaking in an interview on New Day, a current affairs programme on TV3, the 2012 flag-bearer of PPP, Dr. Nduom, stated that Ghana at the current stage of her development deserves the best.
“I think at this stage of our development, what we need is a bit from here a bit from there,” he added.
Dr. Nduom advocated for a departure from the winner-takes-all politics where government functionaries were drawn only from the membership of the ruling party.
The sought of coalition, Dr. Nduom envisaged, transcends politics or any other consideration apart from competence.
“If I had my way there would be a coalition government with the best that we have from different places and not just those who are in politics, to form government for proper development,” Dr. Nduom told the host of the show, Bridget Otoo, yesterday.
…I have seen different political parties, the best of Ghana is not in the political parties, the best we have, and they are not there,” Dr. Nduom claimed.
He insisted that voting for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP)—the two leading parties, which governed Ghana on partisan basis at different times since 1993 — could not bring about the needed progress the people of Ghana, have been expecting and that change can come from a proper coalition government.
For instance, he said, “in the first term of President Kufuor (2001-2004) where there was a true inclusiveness attitude, it did a lot of good things for Ghana.
[However in the] second term when they decided they will be NPP, a lot of negative things happened unfortunately for Ghana,” he said.
That, Dr. Nduom pointed out, explains his commitment to ensure Ghana gets an inclusive government, hence his decision to champion an agenda for a coalition in 2016.
He said for now PPP was talking not only to the political parties but also to individuals with track record in terms of achievement.
“We are talking to different people in this country. People who are not known to be somebody but who we know have delivered in their private or public capacities, and then the political parties as well. So we are reaching out to people if it happens wonderful, but if it doesn’t happen its okay,” he revealed.
According to Dr. Nduom, it was his desire to see an alliance of that sort, hence the delay for PPP to choose its 2016 flag-bearer.
Touching on the prospects of PPP as a viable party, Dr. Nduom noted that the party though fairly new has a bright future.
According to him, PPP is a political party with relatively young people but he was convinced that “One day, one day … the party would l break through this ceiling referring to the dominance of the NDC and the NPP.
Both the NDC and the NPP had dominated Ghana’s politics since the return to multi-party democracy in 1992 with power changing hands twice between the two parties.
However, the PPP 2012 presidential candidate believed that the political duopoly would end someday drawing inspiration from the recently held elections in Spain where the country’s traditional two-party system gave way to a fragmented parliament, after two new parties gained a large number of seats in last Sunday’s elections.
Meanwhile, Dr. Nduom in a post on his Facebook fun page yesterday asserted that the year 2015 has been “a painfully challenging one for all” Ghanaians, but 2016 has “something good.”
According to him, the incessant power blackouts experienced in Ghana throughout the year [2015] has brought a lot of hardships to businesses which has also led to “unemployment” coupled with “rising and potentially crippling national debt”.
“But I can sense an awakening,” Nduom said in his Facebook post.
“Our people are beginning to realize that there are consequences for every vote they cast. They know now that talking and talking is different from doing, doing. Many are saying, we deserve something better than this. And they are right.
“I am encouraged by the young people, their optimistic outlook and determination to make it in Ghana. They need help and some of us will be there for them. I like their spirit.
“In 2016, something good will happen. It is why I wish for all Ghanaians good health, happiness, an undying positive spirit and prosperity.”
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