George Twum-Barima-Adu, an independent Presidential Candidate in the 2024 elections has unveiled Mr Nyaaba-Aweeba Azongo, a development consultant, as his running mate.

A statement issued by Mr Twum-Barima-Adu, said the unveiling of Mr Azongo completed his presidential ticket for the 2024 elections.

Mr Yaaba-Aweeba Azongo, the statement said had been at the forefront practicing as a development consultant in Ghana, Africa, and the world, as a development consultant.

His most outstanding professional legacy in Ghana was his pioneering establishment and consultant to the Suame Magazine Industrial Development Organization (SMIDO), which gained extensive international recognition and gradually evolving into a global model for cluster development in the informal economic sectors of the world.

“I have known Nyaaba-Aweeba Azongo since 2006 and keenly followed his professional exploits and views on global development in various subject areas, and it was part of this recognition that informed my choice of the Vice Presidential candidate to join my ticket to contest the 2024 elections of the Republic of Ghana”, Mr Twum-Barima-Adu, stated in the statement.

According to him, Ghana was at the crossroad of a development crisis of historic magnitude, which had become a tangible reality of which everyone was aware and whoever had this in mind would settle on a choice with the requisite intellectual depth and experience to navigate the current crisis, and not the current political circuses Ghana was being subjected to by NPP and NDC.

“Twum-Barima-Adu – Azongo Presidency is poised to inspire global excellence in Ghanaian leadership towards developing Ghana’s first Development Consensus in resolving the current economic crisis, the existential environmental threat confronting our dear country and ensure even and balanced development for the benefit of all,” he stated.

Mr Nyaaba-Aweeba Azongo, according to the statement, holds an Mphil degree in Development Planning from the KNUST after his Bachelor of Science degree from the same university.

He was a development consultant to the National House of Chiefs from 2003 to 2011 and has a lot of publications on Chieftaincy and Development in Africa.

He has to his credit a publication on Chieftaincy and development entitled “System Approach to Development Planning in the Chieftaincy Sector”, published for the National House of Chiefs in 2011, which has been extensively quoted by prominent paramount chiefs in the country during conferences on development in Ghana, and Africa, particularly, Professor John Nabila, during the Royal African Sister Cities conference in Ghana.

The book was published to set the basis for harnessing of chieftaincy institutional potential for sustainable development and to pilot a Ghanaian case for traditional authorities’ role in development in Africa.

The statement said Mr Nyaaba-Aweeba Azongo was elected by Daasebre Professor (Emeritus) Oti-Boateng, the late paramount chief of New Juaben Traditional area, an international scholar and a former UN Commissioner to review his three publications on development; ‘Development in Unity: Compendium of Works of Daasebre Prof (Emeritus) Oti-Boateng, volumes 1, 2, and 3.

He was also the guest speaker during the launch of Daasebre’s three books in 2019, which was chaired by no mean an icon than Professor (Emeritus) Ivan Addai Mensah and had Professor Stephen Addai, then Chair of the NDPC as the guest of honour.

His professional works gained significant national and international recognition after his groundbreaking work with Daasebre Professor Emeritus Oti-Boateng, following the development of the ‘Root-based Economic Development (r-BED) model, which was presented at the 79th session of the UN International Civil Service Commission meeting in Rome, Italy to rally global leadership behind the New Development Model.

This model was subsequently recognized by the State University of New York with the conferment of award in recognition of the root-based Economic Development model.

In recognition of his sterling contribution to development knowledge, Mr Azongo was awarded the ‘Daasebre Excellence Award in Leadership ‘.

Mr Nyaaba-Aweeba Azongo is also the founder of the Save Your Liver Foundation, a pioneering liver health advocacy organisation in Ghana, the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa, raising awareness and influencing policy priority on liver health across Africa.