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Opinions of Wednesday, 26 April 2023

Columnist: Rockson Adofo

For the fight against galamsey, corruption and crimes to succeed, vote for Kennedy Agyapong

NPP flagbearer hopeful, Kennedy Agyapong NPP flagbearer hopeful, Kennedy Agyapong

The present situation in Ghana where the water bodies, virgin forests and fertile/arable lands have come under unrelenting devastation by illegal small scale and alluvial mining, known in the Ghanaian parlance as galamsey, it is only right that a strong, honest, dynamic and dedicated person is needed as president of Ghana.

Of all those contesting to become the next president after President Nana Akufo-Addo, Kennedy Agyapong stands the tallest among them. He possess all the three qualities that make for a successful president. They are the same qualities that have made Singapore, a country without natural mineral endowments but water-logged, currently an advanced rich country.

The three cardinal pillars on which Singapore has so stringently successfully revolved to catapult her into the very core but not simply the periphery of economic success and a country without official or non-official corruption, are MERITOCRACY, PRAGMATISM and HONESTY (MPH).

Is Kennedy Agyapong not the embodiment of the three mentioned qualities?

He believes in the award of higher official positions to people on merit without the consideration for family or friends in what has come to be known in Ghana as “WHOM YOU KNOW……”, as regards offer of jobs.

He believes in solving problems using any relevant method that will be deemed fit and capable of solving them in that instant without restricting himself to the strictest confinements of any “ping pong” regulations in place.

Every unique problem has their unique solution. Kennedy will find such unique solutions to any unique problem that rears its ugly bestial head.

Galamsey with its known devastations that have the potential to culminate in the eventual destruction of lives and the ecology of Ghana, has become a unique problem beckoning for its unique solution.

Is it not Kennedy Agyapong who can find and apply that unique solution to decapitate that destructive galamsey if it were a poisonous snake?

Kennedy Agyapong is undeniably honest and his track record speaks volume about him.

Was he not the one who on learning on the phone about his son breaching traffic regulations in Accra asked the arresting police officer breaking the news to him to lock his son up? How many of our Ghanaian parents could do that?

Don’t we have some chiefs, rich men and influential persons in Ghana that are known to contact the police, judges, etc., to plead to have specific arrested or arraigned criminals released because the culprits are their family members, friends, etc.?

If such people get their sons or daughters arrested, they will hurry to get them released or order for their immediate release, if they have that power. However, Kennedy Agyapong never did that but asked for his son to be punished for breaking the law. This tells how honest he is to ensure the obedience of the laws. If he has done this to his son, do you think he will spare Rockson Adofo if he, Rockson, breaks the law? No!

Let me define the mentioned qualities as are in the dictionary to then quickly call it a day.

Meritocracy: A social system or organization in which people reach positions of power based on their abilities rather than their money, family connections, etc.

Pragmatism: The quality of dealing with a problem in a sensible way that suits the conditions that really exist, rather than following fixed theories, ideas, or rules.

Honesty: the quality of being honest: (truthfully and hiding nothing); Honest means “telling the truth or able to be trusted and not likely to steal, cheat, or lie”

Ghana’s problem is purely the lack of law enforcement. Until we are able to enforce the laws, no matter who comes to power, the country will continue to go downhill with official devastating corruption ramifying like the harmattan bushfire to the detriment of all but the corrupt leaders and criminals.

The above being the case, Kennedy Agyapong is best suited to become the next president of Ghana in these uncertain times the country is wallowing and stagnating in, if we really want to see Ghana developed with a stop put to the devastating galamsey, armed robberies, murders and whatnot.

However, for NPP to achieve their much touted and hoped for dream of “breaking the 8”, in a country where people vote along tribal lines and political affiliations but not on policies and programmes, we had better go for Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia.

In my heart of hearts, I will prefer to see a team of Kennedy Agyapong, Dr. Alhaji Bawumia, Dr. Kwabena Duffour and Dr. George Akuffo Dampare (IGP) govern Ghana after President Nana Akufo-Addo gracefully bows out of the presidency on 7 January 2025.

There are unique qualities in each of the mentioned persons which when put together, can quickly solve Ghana’s socio-economic problems to the admiration of all discerning Ghanaians.

I will highlight on their unique qualities and some of their intended policies and programmes that I may be privy to in my future publications.