Ghana needs an aged and experienced person like Nana Akufo-Addo to redeem the country from the "naked stealing, thievery, and robbery" that are festering under the Mahama administration, Dr Mustapha Hamid, aide to the New Patriotic Party's flagbearer has told Class News at the Sunyani Coronation Park, where the party is holding its Extraordinary Annual Delegates’ Conference.

In response to a question about Mr Akufo-Addo's apparent lack of vigour relative to 2008 when he first run for President, Dr Hamid said: "Of course, a 70-year-old man cannot be as vibrant as a 25-year-old man, and a 70-year-old man cannot be as vibrant as 44-year-old man, and a 44-year-old man cannot be as vibrant as a 25-year-old man, so, we ought to understand that one very clearly, and there are no apologies about that."

The Islamic scholar said: "In Africa and as a Muslim, what we are taught is that age comes with wisdom, and wisdom and experience are indispensable factors for the governance of any nation in the world, and, therefore, for me Nana Addo today is more an asset to Ghana than he would have been even in 2008 because the challenges that we face today, as a nation, are more enormous and more gargantuan than the 2008 challenges."

"In 2008, we didn’t have a debt stock of over ninety-something billion dollars (sic), we didn’t have the kind of unemployment that we have, we didn’t have the kind of naked stealing, thievery, and robbery that is going on in the country today, so, today you need more experience, you need better wisdom than you had in 2008.

"So, if they are saying that by his age he has gathered more experience and wisdom, I don’t see that as a negative, it is positive," Dr Hamid added, saying: "Nana is very well. He is in very good spirits and he is in fighting mood for 2016."

The NPP has converged on the Brong Ahafo regional capital to, in the words of Dr Hamid, "discuss issues that are not every day ordinary issues of the party." He said the highlight of the conference will be the inauguration of Mr Akufo-Addo's campaign team for the 2016 elections.