Akufo-Addo is tired, tested and proven - Owusu Ankomah

*AKUFO-ADDO IS TRIED, TESTED AND PROVEN- Papa Owusu-Ankomah declares*

In a clear show of support for his former parliamentary colleague and senior at the Bar, the Member of Parliament for Sekondi, Papa Owusu-Ankoma says he is confident that a better and brighter future lies ahead of Ghana’s youth under an Akufo-Addo presidency.

“One thing I have always admired about Nana Akufo-Addo is his ability to identify and promote talent for the good of our nation”, the MP said.

He stressed that many of the seasoned lawyers in our country today had their training at Akufo-Addo’s law firm and under Nana's direct tutelage. The names of such brilliant lawyers include Frank Davies, Alex Quaynor, Brookman Amissah, Philip Addison, Neils Lutterodt, Joe Ghartey, Ursula Owusu, Efua Ghartey, Atta Akyea, Akoto Ampaw, Yoni Kulendi and Kwame Akuffo.

The Sekondi MP also pointed to the three (3) youngest NPP Members of Parliament who are part of Nana’s campaign team as evidence of Nana's capacity to train and empower the youth. Kobby Okyere-Darko, the oldest among them is 36, Isaac Asiamah is 34 and Dominc Nitiwul, 33.

Papa Owusu-Ankomah was speaking at the Lagoonside Hotel in Sekondi, on Sunday, May 2, when Nana Akufo-Addo met with delegates of the Sekondi constituency on the first day of his Western regional tour.

His support for Nana follows a series of public endorsement from other NPP MPs since the campaign tour started.

He continued that “Nana Akufo-Addo has been a faithful servant of both party and country ."

He also commended Nana for running a positive campaign. "He is currently running a good campaign,” he said, adding that the real battle is not about who will win on August 7 but how to get everybody on board after congress. This calls for a clean and healthy campaign, especially from those in the winning team.

He mentioned that the NPP has always believed in competition and this he says has paid off over the years. He noted that when Nana Akufo-Addo lost to Mr. Kufuor in 1998, Nana campaigned with the winner across the length and breadth of Ghana to ensure that the NPP won power in 2000.

He poured scorn on the vile agenda of the NDC to defame and discredit Nana Akufo-Addo during the 2008 presidential race.

“All I can say is that Ghanaians know Nana Akufo-Addo very well and there is nothing new the NDC can say in an attempt to damage his image that anybody will take seriously again."

Papa, in rooting for Nana told the party that beyond Nana's loyalty and service to party and country, Nana has the experience and competence to make Ghana brighter.

"I have sat in Parliament with him for eight (8) years and I worked with him in Government and I can tell you that he is a competent leader. "

He added that Nana Akufo-Addo is “a tried and tested man who has proved his worth and made his mark in Ghanaian politics.”

In his view, the real contest lies in the party’s ability to unite behind the winner and demonstrate how united the NPP will stand after the internal party contest.

The issue is not about who wins the flag bearer. Rather, it is about how to unite the party after the internal contest, he noted.

He implored delegates to vote massively for the best candidate, and give the strongest signal to Ghanaians that the NPP believes in that person and the party is ready to lead Ghana.

“We have to be emphatic and vote massively and give the best candidate a resounding victory.”

This call was subsequently repeated by Yaw Osafo-Maafo, former Minister of Finance, who called on NPP delegates to give Nana a resounding victory for unity and victory in 2012.

The Sekondi MP also called on members of the NPP to continue to work hard for the collective interest of the party and not about their personal gains of today.

He added that “the Ghanaian people are looking up to us [the NPP] to come and salvage them from the plights that the NDC has brought on them and we have to let them know that we are ready as a party to do so.”

Benjamin Abeiku Blankson, Youth Organiser of the Apostolic Polling Station in the Sekondi Constituency had this to say about Nana Akufo-Addo’s campaign: “I think he has a vision for the grassroots of the party and I am confident that the polling station executives will all vote for him because of his message.”