Applause as Joe Ghartey declares intention to run for president

It was all joy and applause when Hon Joe Ghartey stated at a meeting of the Expanded Regional Executive Committee of the Western Region of the New Patriotic Party that as long as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, God willing, "I will definitely contest for the Flagbearer position for the New Patriotic Party."

Addressing the gathering at a meeting held in Sekondi-Takoradi on Monday, 7th November 2022, Joe Ghartey stated that it had come to his attention that some Presidential Aspirants had already come into the Region to meet some delegates. He said that he would also meet them soon, but he was serving notice that he would definitely contest the Presidential Primaries.

Joe Ghartey recollected that about five days before the 2020 general elections, he was interviewed on Radio 360, a radio station in Takoradi. The host asked him whether he would run for Parliament in 2024.

Joe Ghartey, who has been an MP since 2004, said he would not. Pressed further whether he would aspire to be president, Joe Ghartey said he responded yes.

He said he told the presenter that he had contested in 2012, and he placed third after the President and Alan Kyeremanteng, and he would contest again, God willing.

Hon Ghartey told the gathering that after that, Asaase Radio flew a team from Accra to Takoradi to interview him a few days before the election.

The host, Kojo Mensah, asked him the same question about whether he would contest for the presidential slot in 2024, and he answered yes.

Joe Ghartey told the gathering that after the election, the president addressing MPs elect, said he would exclude from his Government anyone who had declared that he would contest for presidential Primaries.

Joe Ghartey said he was told by a senior member of the party that he should have said he was now thinking about it when he was asked the question. Joe Ghartey told the gathering that he was not in the business of lying or waffling, and he spoke the truth, and the truth set him free.

He had thought about it already, and that is why he answered that way. He assured the Region that he would definitely come around soon.

Hon. Ghartey is a former Attorney General Minister of Justice and former Deputy Speaker of Parliament.