My Political Career Is Active; Not Over! – Amissah-Arthur

Former Vice-President, Kwesi Amissah-Arthur says his political career is not at the verge of collapse.

Delivering a speech at a lecture in Accra Thursday May 31, 2018 ahead to mark the June 4 Revolution, the former Vice President stated he began his career as an economist and was dragged into politics.

“I don’t know if I am there or I am going home but to borrow the words of President Rawlings ‘it’s not over’. It’s not over’’, he said.

He also supported the principles of probity and accountability that are espoused by former President.

The revolutionary lecture series was born out of the experiences and the philosophy of the former President and the revolutionary transition Ghana had gone through since 4th June 1979.

He also agreed with Professor Kwesi Botchwey that the fundamental structures of the economy needs re-engineering.

The former Vice-President cited a situation in the first Parliament of the Fourth Republic when the NDC, with majority in the Legislative House, voted against its own government’s budget because it was considered to be too harsh for the country at the time.

Mr. Amissah-Arthur further recounted the days of Ghana’s economic and social situation prior to 1983 through to the economic reforms, noting that the NDC surmounted the challenges and stood to the test its principles of probity and accountability to the people.

The former Vice-President urged members of the NDC to put the disappointment of the 2016 general election behind them continue to hold on to the principles of the party and intensify the campaign to regain power in 2020.

The former finance minister under the JJ Rawlings’ administration (and Ghana’s longest serving finance minister), Professor Kwesi Botchwey, delivered a lecture on Ghana’s economic and social situation prior to 1983. It was followed by a review of the economic reforms from1983 to 1992: Issues, Responses and Outcomes.

According to Professor Botchwey, although the county has recorded a slight improvement in macroeconomic indicators signifying some level of growth, it’s not yet time to celebrate as there are still vulnerabilities in the economy that can potentially stifle Ghana’s quest to attain its development goals.

Professor Botchwey therefore called for an expansion of the revenue base of the country to sustain the gains.

He said “as a nation we should not jump up and celebrate the small change in the economy because the fundamental structures have not been changed as we are still in a commodity importing based economy”.

Organized under the auspices of the Office of Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings marking the annual celebration of the June 4, 1979 uprising, this year’s lecture was under the theme “Revolutionary Economic Trends, Ghana In Focus: Past Present And The Future” and held at the National Theatre in Accra.

Present at the event were NDC National Chairman Kofi Portuphy, former Speaker of Parliament, Hon Doe Adjaho, Alex Segbefia and Vice Chairman of the African Union Ambassador Kwesi Kwartey among others.