Botchwey Speaks Out on JAK?s Globetrotting

Former Finance Minister, Dr Kwesi Botchwey, last week told a group of journalists at his Agona Asafo base in the Central Region that ?there are larger issues to be tackled and discussed than the President?s frequent travels outside?.

Dr Botchwey was answering a question by one of the journalists at a press conference he organized at his home to comment on the President?s frequent travels abroad. Ironically, Dr Botchwey?s party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has in recent times made major political capital out of the President?s travels.

The Independent newspaper in one of its editions last week, reported calls by some NDC operatives and sympathizers for the man known in political circles as Kwesi Botchwey, to consider running as presidential candidate for the NDC at its forthcoming primaries.

Although Dr Botchwey has been quiet since that publication, he took the opportunity at the press conference to comment on national issues, a move which many political observers have interpreted as a way of testing the grounds before making any pronouncements on what the people are requesting him to consider. Dr Botchwey pleaded with politicians and the citizenry in the light of the high level of the country?s political temperature to be tolerant because in his opinion that was the only way ?of preserving out democracy?.

He therefore called on all political parties, factions and all people to be a little more tolerant of views and opinions of others irrespective of their political leanings. According to the former Finance Minister, who until recently was a professor at the prestigious Harvard University in the United States, tolerance for divergent views is the only way of reducing political tension in the country. Dr Botchwey said, the most important thing is for ?us to focus on issues of national development,? adding that Ghana is still a poor country, poverty is very high and there is not enough development and growth to generate income for the vast majority of people?.

To him, these and other issues should rather be a great concern to ?us as a people than creating political tension in the country?. The former minister noted that these tensions are unnecessary and only divert attention from the main business of national development. Dr Botchwey said, there is the need for the creation of space for national development and hoped that something positive would be done by government to reduce, tension in the country, because as he put it ?that would be the only way to attract foreign investors?.

He called on politicians, MPs, the church and the larger society, individuals as well as the media to help reduce the tension. Dr Kwesi Botchwey however commended the media for its role towards national development. He reminded the press that as the watchdog of the society, they need to be responsible in their reportage and must ?report whatever they see or hear?.

He also advised that there should not be any occasion for the media to ignore irresponsible statements by politicians or people that have the potential of inflaming passion in the country. He therefore called for balanced reportage by all media houses.

On the country?s economy, Dr Botchwey said, everything is in order, but added that there is the need to increase the flow of investment into the country to be able to generate employment to enable people improve on their income.