Kufuor's Liberty Lecture: Yes Competence Matters but Nana Akufo-Addo is not the Answer

The Progressive People's Party (PPP) agrees with former President J A Kufuor when he said last night that the 2012 election is about which Presidential Candidate has the best experience and qualifications to manage the affairs of our dear nation. Indeed the PPP has been asking Ghanaians to compare the three serious Presidential Candidates, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, President J Mahama and Nana Akufo-Addo using their personal, private sector and public service experience and vote for the one with the best track record.

However, we find it quite disturbing that Mr. Kufuor wants to deceive Ghanaians with his blind partisan thoughts. It would have served his purpose better if he had chosen to stay at the statesman's level instead of playing the NPP propaganda game.

With all due respect, can Mr. Kufuor really claim that his party's presidential candidate is the best in the field? By what criteria? Competence matters. Character matters. Proven experience matters. Incorruptibility matters. What is former president using to do his analysis? Is Mr. Kufuor telling Ghanaians that Mr. Akufo-Addo was one of his best performing ministers? Many surveys were done about the performance of his ministers during his tenure as President and Akufo-Addo did not rate anywhere near the top. What did his former Attoney-General and Minister of Justice and Foreign minister do to show leadership and competence? What did Nana Akufo-Addo do to improve the lot of Ghanaians as a minister of state? What has the NPP flag bearer done in his experience to show that he has the ability to lead Ghana to achieve economic and social transformation? Longevity cannot be equated with ability. As a former president we had expected Mr. Kufuor to use a formal lecture to educate and inform Ghanaians in a manner that promotes truthfulness and national prosperity. Unfortunately, he chose to turn the lecture into a pedestrian political platform talk.

In due course, the PPP will come out with our fact-based reasons why Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom comes out head and shoulders above President J. Mahama and Nana Akufo-Addo as the best presidential candidate in the 2012 race.

We call on Ghanaians to reject mediocrity, empty promises and propaganda masquerading as the truth.

We are awake!

Kofi Asamoah-Siaw National Secretary, PPP