Kufuor encourages new breed of youthful politicians

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has downplayed suggestions that youth parliamentary candidates are inexperienced and may not contribute effectively should they enter parliament.

According to him, the young folks are equally intelligent, adding that their recognition and acceptance by their various constituencies, is an indication of the confidence they have in them to represent their interest in parliament.

The former president said this when 26 year old Mavis Nkansah Boadu, the newly elected New Patriotic Party parliamentary candidate for Afigya Sekyere East in the Ashanti Region, Mavis Nkansah Boadu, paid a courtesy call on him.

The visit comes a few days after the party’s 22-year-old Kwabre East constituency parliamentary candidate, Francisca Oteng Mensah also paid a similar visit to him.

Mr. Kufuor advised the 26 year old aspirant to ignore attempts by her opponents to distract her if she is to succeed.

"That constituency used to be late Victor Owusu's constituency before independence so it's nothing new to them; but that old place has chosen to send a very young lady, very well educated; beautiful and intelligent to represent them. Politics is a very treacherous field; a lot of times adversaries will make a lot of unfounded allegations against you; some will also put stumbling blocks in your path; you should know how treacherous the field is and advice yourself in every step you take".

On the matter of the young not being experienced enough to contribute effectively to Parliament, the former president said "To me, I believe they are just starting right and that's why they've come to the position of acceptance and recognition by their various constituencies. It's because of the preparations they have had. They are well educated and obviously naturally intelligent and wise" he noted.

Mavis Nkansah Boadu later told TV3 that she has the development of her people at heart.

"Between 2008 and 2012, the constituency saw some decline and that's what I am looking forward to working on. I am also seeking to raising the standard of education and youth empowerment; those are the major things I am looking at in my constituency".

Like her younger counterpart Francisca Oteng Mensah who also met with the former President Kufuor after meeting the party's 2016 Presidential Candidate Nana Akufo-Addo, Mavis Nkansah Boadu later visited Nana Akufo-Addo to officially introduce herself to him.