Thursday, 28 March

I’ve no evidence my prospective successors distracted – Akufo-Addo

Politics
Presidential hopefuls

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said he has no evidence suggesting that his appointees who have presidential ambitions are distracted and have lost focus on the jobs assigned to them.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) will need a new leader for the 2024 election as the President’s mandate expires in the next three years.

Persons who have shown interest to succeed Mr Akufo-Addo include Vice-president Mahamudu Bawumia, Minister of Trade and Industry Alan Kyerematen, former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko, Minister of Food and Agriculture Owusu Afriyie Akoto and former Railways Minister Joe Ghartey.

Speaking on Accra-based Peace FM on Thursday, 21 October 2021, Nana Akufo-Addo said despite showing interest in the presidency, these persons are not distracted.

He said: “I’ve no evidence their ambition is interfering with their work. On the contrary, I continue to see in the cabinet, in the government, people who are working strongly for the state.”

Explaining his point, Nana Akufo-Addo said: “You can see Owusu Afriyie Akoto, he’s busy working on the agricultural projects to maintain our industrial agenda. He’s working very hard. Wherever I go, I see this one village-one dam. [With Kyerematen], every day, the country is seeing our commitment to building factories and industries.

“Bawumia is the chairman of the economic management team and also has the position as vice president and we see the big efforts that the economy is making in very difficult circumstances.

“All of them are working and I’ve no feeling it is affecting their job or I’ll have to act. Assuming someone’s ambition is affecting his job, the president cannot be unconcerned”.

He advised the NPP that in choosing his successor, “we should have a transparent, credible, acceptable process for choosing our next flagbearer”.  

Source: Classfmonline.com/Emmanuel Mensah