Let delegates decide on flag bearer - Addo-Kufuor

Accra, Nov 4, GNA - The Ghana Armed Forces has moved from the era of coup d' etats to professionalism and its traditional role of defending the nation against external aggression and will not interfere with the democratic process, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Minister of Defence, has stated.

Dr Addo-Kufuor, who once doubled as the acting Minister of Interior, speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, noted that there is now close collaboration between the military and Police that has effectively reduced the incidence of armed robbery and other criminal activities through their joint patrols throughout the country. He pointed out that his six-year tenure as the Minister of Defence had seen the rehabilitation of barracks of garrisons and the provision of more accommodation, sewerage systems and the upgrading of facilities including the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.

Dr Addo-Kufuor, who is also the MP for Manhyia also mentioned the building of the Kofi Annan Peace-Keeping Centre, the establishment of the National Emergency Response Unit at the Military Hospital and the building of a modern Burma Hall in Accra as some of his achievements as Minister of Defence.

He dismissed calls on him in a section of the media to step aside in the race to be the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to contest for the Presidency in the 2008 election because he is the brother of President John Agyekum Kufuor.

The Defence Minister pointed out that unlike in the traditional cultural set-up where a successor to a stool or skin was picked or chosen by the kingmakers in consultation with the elders and the Queen Mother, "I am going to appeal to the good people of our great party numbering over a thousand delegates to vote for me among other contestants to lead them to build on the foundation President J A Kufuor has established".

He said it was not logical for anybody to ask him to step aside in his bid to succeed his brother, President Kufuor because the 1992 Constitution did not bar him from contesting, adding that, the NPP Constitution also did not have any clause to stop him from doing so.

"If Richard Kingston and Laryea Kingston are brothers who have been invited to the Black Stars due to their exploits on the football field would you drop one of them because they are brothers," he asked and said "in the political environment my Brother and I have different aspirations".

Dr Addo-Kufuor recalled that during the vetting of newly appointed Ministers, he went through the process just like any other Minister as the constitution required and did not get any preferential treatment because he is the brother of the President.

The Minister said as an MP he had been able to execute a number of projects in his constituency including the construction of a 20-seater modern toilet, library and a borehole and provided books to schools in the area among other achievements.

Dr Addo-Kufuor was a founding member of the defunct Popular Front Party (PFP), All Peoples Party (APP), the Danquah-Busia Club and the NPP.

He was a member of the National Policy and Advisory Committee of the NPP, Chairman of the Health Committee and member of the National Executive and National Council of the party.

The Minister was the Parliamentary Candidate for his constituency for the 1992 election and has been the MP since 1996.

He was educated at the Achimota School, Cambridge University and the University College Medical School Hospital both in Britain. Dr Addo-Kufuor who is married with three children has authored many books including 93Safe Motherhood in the Upper West Region of Ghana. His hobbies are football, music, reading, boxing as a spectator and an avid radio listener. 04 Nov 06