Politics of Thursday, 9 June 2016

Source: Today Newspaper

I am a doer, not a talker – Nduom

Paapa Kwesi Ndoum Paapa Kwesi Ndoum

Presidential hopeful of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, says what the country needs at the moment is somebody who is a doer and not a talker.

In his opinion those who are seeking the mandate of Ghanaians to govern this country for the next four years do not have the talents to do so.

According to the Dr. Nduom, “God has given each and every one a talent,” saying if you were not made to create jobs it would be difficult to do that when even you have everything at your disposal.

The PPP stalwart made these observations at a press conference in Accra yesterday when he spoke on a wide range of national issues.

He touched on corruption, the resuscitation of the Komenda Sugar Factory, threw light on the PPP’s ten-point agenda, youth empowerment among others.

He claimed that he stands tall when it comes to who can deliver on his promises among the three leading presidential hopefuls for the November 7 polls which he is included.

The other two candidates, he said, are President John Dramani Mahama of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Dr. Nduom stressed that he has the business acumen to create jobs and wealth for Ghanaians.

“Somebody said he gave an evidence-based State of the Nation Address but what I have done in terms of job creation are there for everybody to see. Therefore, among the three of us who is cut for the job of governing this country?” Dr. Nduom asked.

Consequently, he called on Ghanaians to vote for him and the PPP in the upcoming general elections, claiming that the country will be better placed if the PPP was given the nod to rule.

On the issue of the revived Komenda Sugar Factory, Dr. Nduom, who is an accomplished entrepreneur and business man, said the Mahama administration fundamentally got everything wrong, before announcing to the whole world that the factory has bounced back.

In his estimation, government flouted basic business rules with its strategy on the recently commissioned factory.

He intimated that government’s strategy to finance the establishment of the factory and feed it with raw materials was not well thought out.

For instance, he could not understand why government should go and borrow hundred per cent of money that it needed to start the factory.

“I have factories. I have companies. There are some things you don’t do, other things you can do. You don’t go and borrow almost 100% of the money you need to start a factory. You don’t do that. You must have your own money, a little bit, to put there,” he said.

He was also of the view that there was no effective and credible management structure for the factory, saying that the plan that went into setting up the Central Region-based sugar factory was haphazard.

Concerning the teeming unemployed youth, the veteran politician encouraged the youth not to lose hop in the country.

He urged them to have confidence in the PPP, saying “we have the youth of this country at heart and will help them secure their future.”

Dr. Nduom hinted that the PPP will start a vigorous campaign in August where the party will propagate its ten-point agenda to Ghanaians.