The 2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday, April 26, inaugurated campaign sector committees of the party, tasked with the formulation of the policies and programmes the party will be presenting in the campaign to the Ghanaian electorate ahead of the conduct of this year’s polls.
The 19 sector committees, comprising a total of some 150 members, are also to articulate the party’s messages in their respective areas, defend the party’s messages and contribute to the making of the party’s manifesto.
The ceremony, which had Alhaji Dr. MahamaduBawumia, running mate to Nana Akufo-Addo; C.K. Tedam, Chairman of the Council of Elders; Hon. OseiKyei-Mensa-Bonsu, MP, Minority Leader in Parliament; KwabenaAbankwahYeboah, National Treasurer; OtikoAfisaDjaba, National Women’s Organiser; Sammy Awuku, National Youth Organiser; Kamal DeenAbdulai, National Nasara Coordinator; Peter Mac Manu, Campaign Manager,and members of the National Campaign Coordinating Committee attending, took place at the Nima residence of the NPP flagbearer.
Addressing the members of the committees, Nana Akufo-Addo noted that the party was undertaking the final processes of its preparations for election 2016, having completed 273 out of 275 parliamentary primaries, and inaugurated all regional campaign teams and a majority of constituency campaign teams.
The inauguration of the sector committees represented one of the final steps towards positioning the party for the battle ahead to wrestle political power from the incompetent Mahama government, and return the country back onto the path of progress and prosperity.
The newly inaugurated campaign committees are in the following sectors: Economy; Trade and Industry; Agriculture; Employment; Energy; Roads and Highways; Infrastructure; Natural Resources; Education; Health; Science, Technology, Innovation and Environment; and Local Government. The rest are Foreign Affairs; Governance; Public Accountability; Security; Gender, Disabilities and Children; Tourism, Chieftaincy and Creative Arts; and Youth and Sports.
These committees, Nana Akufo-Addo added, will help formulate policies that, God-willing from January 2017, will be implemented by a competent team so that the Ghanaian people will gain relief from the hardships and suffering they are currently facing under the incompetent Mahama government.
“The difficulties facing our people are there for all to see and feel. As a result, Ghanaians are calling for the return of the NPP. We must answer the call. We need to show the Ghanaian people that we are, indeed, ready, willing and able to transform the fortunes of our country. I need your active support to reach this goal, for which I was elected by an overwhelming majority of the grassroots of the party,” he said.
On the discordant voices within the membership of the NPP, who have made it a point of expressing all kinds of negative views, largely about him, Nana Akufo-Addo stated that “I’m not disturbed, because I understand that this is the price of leadership.
“All members of our party have a role to play in the party’s victory, and I am calling on all members to work hard towards our victory. I welcome everyone’s contribution. I have always stood and will always stand for the collective,” he said.
Below are the chairpersons of the various committees, who will act as their spokespersons:
SECTOR COMMITTEES
- Mahamudu Bawumia — Economy
- Alan Kyerematen — Trade/Industry
- Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto— Agriculture
- Stephen Asamoah Boateng —- Employment
- Boakye Agyarko —- Energy
- Kwabena Owusu Aduomi —- Roads/Highways
- Joe Ghartey — Infrastructure (Communications, Maritime and Railways, Water & Housing)
- Christine Churcher —Natural Resources
- Daniel Anleu-Mwine Bagah — Education
- Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh — Health
- Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng — Science, Technology, Innovation & Environment
- Hajia Alima Mahama — Local Government
- Isaac Osei — Foreign Affairs
- J. Ayikoi Otoo — Governance
- Kwaku Agyemang Manu — Public Accountability
- Dominic Nitiwul — Security
- Ursula Owusu Ekuful — Gender, Disabilities and Children
- Kofi Dzamesi Tourism, — Chieftaincy and Creative Arts
- Isaac Asiamah — Youth and Sports