Where is chairman?

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I lived in London in the 90s and because I did not believe in politics during those days, going to political meetings was not one of the things I used to do. A non-Ghanaian workmate who was a student at one of the London universities studying political science asked if he could attend a meeting of a Ghanaian political party in London. Someone told me there was a meeting of the NPP that weekend so I invited myself and my workmate to the meeting. I think I went along so that I could protect my non-Ghanaian friend in case there was some trouble. It was standing room only when we arrived. My friend asked me about the ‘African time’ he always heard about because there was still about ten minutes left before the meeting was to start.

My friend, though non-white, looked clearly non-Ghanaian as well so we must have looked rather odd or suspicious. I was therefore not very surprised when the man next to my friend asked me ‘is this your first time here? He quickly added ‘Chairman starts our meetings on time; the elections are very near’. Hardly had he stopped educating me when four men and a woman, led by this silver-haired and noble looking) man walked to the front. He remained standing when the others sat down. My educator did not loose the opportunity to let us know ‘that is chairman’. ‘I have to confess that some people produce electricity but this man is electricity’ –my friend said. I agreed with him. I became regular at NPP meetings from then on till after the 2000 elections. These days my time is between Ghana and Britain so I am not so regular any more.

Chairman was Dr. Adjei-Barwuah and I remember that at the NPP victory party in London someone told me that Chairman was going to be made a minister. Three things surprise me: 1. he was not made a minister and in all the cabinet reshuffles he has so far not been made a minister; 2. a lot of people say that he is one of a few people that Kufuor listens to; 3. why has he not joined the group of people seeking to replace Kufuor? I know he is our Ambassador in Japan and also he is our High Commissioner in Singapore. I, like most Ghanaians, am aware of the huge help we have been receiving from these two countries since this man became our Ambassador. May be if I were Kufuor I will keep him there too. But I also think that the future of our country is at stake and it is in the interest of all of us to ensure that the next President is this man.

I do not want any supporters of the declared aspirants to jump on me with insults since that seems to be the only form of debate some people appear to understand. I am not rooting for Chairman in this case. I am rooting for Ghana. Adjei-Barwuah is not just a good and efficient politician; he is a patriot and above all, a LEADER; the kind of person we should all be looking for. Someone who cares for his country and his party.

His leadership of the NPP in London was just excellent. After the heartbreak of the 1996 election when attendance of Party meetings was around 15, he kept the spirit up ad made Ghanaians believe that there was a next time. He re-built the Party through wider prospecting and by making a person feel that he or she counts. He nurtured consensus and introduced party discipline. For my money, he is the one person who can unite a post-nomination NPP. He led the ‘famous demonstrations’ against Rawlings during his visit to London and most of us in Britain during the 90s will agree that he was one of the major architects of the 2000 NPP victory. This fact cannot be ignored by the party leaders in Ghana nor by any of the aspirants. In terms of background and achievement I am certain that none of the current aspirants can claim a better resume.

I strongly want to appeal to President Kufuor and the NPP to make an effort to have this man come forward even if it means inviting him as the UGCC did when they found Dr. Nkrumah capable. For all our sakes, please go for the Chairman.

C B Mensah
London