Flagbearer aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) says the bane of the country’s progress is President John Mahama’s lack of technical knowledge and managerial skills.

Addressing a group of professionals who paid a courtesy call on him at his campaign headquarters to celebrate his 59th birthday, Mr. Alan Kyerematen noted that Ghana needs a president who can do the job in order to bring real transformation and prosperity to the Ghanaian people.

He added that, “The country is currently facing difficult challenges as a result of bad leadership and the lack of technical knowledge and managerial skills on the part of the President”.

“Everywhere I have been to, across the country, I could feel the suffering of our people. The economy doesn’t seem like it is going to get any better soon, and we cannot as a country, continue on that path. Things must be different after the 2016 elections”.

Mr. Kyerematen mentioned that for the country to move forward in the right direction, “it is important for us to choose a leader who has a proven track record of creating wealth, jobs and has the skills to manage and execute affairs with precision”.  

He said, “as Ambassador to the United States, I established the US-Ghana Economic Council to deepen economic relations and bilateral trade; negotiated the purchase of VALCO by the Ghana government at a cost of $20m; implemented the first Investment Forum in the US to showcase the economic potential of each of the 10 regions of Ghana; negotiated Cosmos Energy's arrival in Ghana to discover oil; and negotiated the release of $547m from the US government through the Millennium Challenge Accounts (MCA) to alleviate poverty in Ghana.

“I built an $8.5 million state-of-the-art factory to produce high-grade industrial starch from cassava for export. The Ayensu Starch Factory has been bought by Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL) this year, to produce beer for consumption.  I also constructed an enclave within the Tema Free Zone, for the manufacturing of garments for export; revived the Oil Palm industry in Ghana; expanded the Salt mining operations; implemented the District Industrialization Programme, where at least, one medium-sized factory in each administrative district would be built; initiated the highly successful 'National Friday Wear' programme; implemented the Distance Education programme to enable Ghanaian workers acquire higher degrees; facilitated the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which offers Ghana, quota-free export of certain category of goods to the US market; and negotiated a $45 million loan facility with the World Bank to promote SME development in Ghana. These among others were done during my tenure as a Minister of Trade, Industry, & PSI”.

Mr. Kyerematen believes that, if given the nod to lead his party and country, he will utilise his vast experience and skills to achieve the transformational agenda required to move the nation forward.

The leader of the group, Mr. Andrews Appiah, thanked him for offering his service to the growth of the country and hoped that the NPP and subsequently Ghanaians will give him the opportunity to govern and transform this country for the benefit of all.

Alan Kyerematen admonished them to be selfless and partake in nation building and also continue to make a difference in their chosen careers.