Ndoum has advanced frontiers of accountability in Ghana’s politics – Arthur K

Politician and Health administrator, Dr Arthur Kobina Kennedy has lauded Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom for making public details about the status of his health.

According to Dr Kennedy, the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) flagbearer has by this act advanced the frontiers of accountability in Ghana’s politics.

Dr Nduom made available to journalists, a detailed report on his health status Monday.

Certified by the Head of Public Health Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Philip Lwaku Amoo, the medical inquiry indicated the PPP flagbearer is "physically and mentally healthy, has no significant pathology, disease or disability."

He was consequently declared medically fit to undertake any executive function, sedentary or physically demanding tasks.

Dr Nduom, explaining the rationale for undergoing such an examination and making the findings public, said the health status of anybody who wants to assume the highest office of the land cannot be deemed private. He was speaking on Joy FM’s Election Headquarters Monday.

Dr Arthur Kennedy agreed largely with Dr Nduom but added that although it was helpful to make the report public, “I don’t think it was necessary but helpful”.

He said there were some aspects of the report that were unnecessary whilst other important details were omitted.

“But having said that I commend the doctor for doing that,” he said.

The Health Administrator stated that those seeking to be president surely have an obligation to know their health status and to sufficiently assure the public of their health status but “it does not mean that they have to tell us all the details of their exams.”

“I for example would have sent a one-paragraph statement from the candidate’s physician saying that the candidate is in good health,” he noted.

Meanwhile Dr Nduom has indicated he will also make public his assets declaration documents, income tax returns, financial statement of his party’s campaign, as well as the sources of funding for the PPP’s campaign.

“Because transparency, accountability, they are all important when you want to take the highest office such as the one that I am looking to occupy, the presidency of the Republic of Ghana,” Dr Nduom observed.