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Opinions of Sunday, 19 November 2006

Columnist: Amankwah, Nana Kofi

Attah Mills & John Mahama are the Best for Ghana

Ladies and gentleman it is my honor to present these two praiseworthy National Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential candidates to all Ghanaians. On December 16th if these individuals will emerge as the NDC presidential nominee, they have a good chance to govern the country.

There are five reasons why I believe these two candidates can move Ghana forward, if Ghanaians will entrust them with their votes in the 2008 elections. I have confidence in their passion and the leadership skills they have demonstrated within the NDC party. Mills and Mahama have shown Ghanaians that they are men of peace. Many people in our society today believe that all politicians are self-serving, power –famished and money hungry leeches. After all this years, these two individuals does not have this stench in their political closets. They understand the philosophical motive behind civil service.

In fact, Mills have sacrificed his life for the nation as a strong opposition leader for the (NDC) party. He has stood toe to toe with the current administration on socioeconomic issues. First of all, Mills and Mahama are not tribalistic. Two, they are political realists who will always put the interest of their people first. Three, they have a passion for their country. Four, they have the experience to move the country into the right direction, because mills has learn from his mistakes. Lastly, they are pragmatic politicians. Mills were closed to bring his party back to power. It is very unfortunate that Mills, efforts failed to win the presidency back for the NDC party in the 2004 election. After (P) NDC had been in power for almost twenty years. Yet, Jerry John Rawlings wants him to step down from the NDC flagbearership.

Although Mills has twice suffered defect at the hands of NPP, this is nothing in politics. In 1982, Germany when the (SPD) party loss power to the (CDU) Party it was almost twenty years before they were able to come back to power. During those years, the (SPD) candidate who ran many times could never get close to bringing their party back. Mills was able to bring the NDC back in due time. Rawlings should leave Mills alone. He is not the problem. Rawlins has to change his attitude towards Mills and the party because Rawlings has become a cancer to the party he founded.

Ladies and gentleman, let me give you some history about Attah Mills. As a spoke person for Ghanaians who are not politically incorporated, Mill is a unique person who has all the qualities necessary to be an effective president for our dear country. I learned the history of Mills from my mentor and father figure, the late Dr. Owusu Afriyie former Peoples National Party (PNP) secretary to the cabinet and also a law professor in London. Dr Afriyie said they both came from the United Party tradition (UP ) He was a friend of both Kufuor and Mills, but he believes Mills would have been a better president then Kufuor if he was elected as the president of our country. He is a man of principle who always makes sure that he does the right thing for his country. After the 2004 election Jerry Rawlings wanted Mills to create confusion within the country for the election results, but Mills did not. The leadership skills he has are the kind our nation is looking for to move our country forward.

Nana Kofi Amankwah (New York)

Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.