....Prez Jet Ferries Minister
HE ONLY MINISTER to escape any reshuffle, Dr. Kwame Addo Kufuor, the Minister of Defence, has intensified his audacious bid to succeed his senior brother, President John Agyekum Kufuor in style, when he flew by the ..Presidential jet on whistle-stop campaign accompanied by no less than a dozen military men to the Northern Regions despite a fearsome gag order by his brother.

Dr. Addo Kufuor, who is also the Member of Parliament for Manhyia and was a diligent and effective Spokesman on health in Parliament from 1998, was the centre of attention when he was penciled in as Minister of Defence instead of Alhaji Mustapha Idris who was the Spokesman for Interior Despite the recent embarrassment over the helicopter deal that dented his standing, the cool Doctor brushed off the dripping fallout and demonstrated the steely side of his personality with a blitz of a campaign aimed at selling himself to the delegates for the NPP primary elections for supposed presidential aspirants expected to come off next year.

Chronicle reporters monitored him as he goose stepped out and headed for the Radach Memorial Centre at the Tamale industrial area last Saturday who came in a convoy for this very political meeting.

The blatant show of power was evidenced by the formal invitation issued by Mr. Clifford Braimah, the NPP regional secretary formally informing constituency executives and inviting all ten executives of the party in the region to meet the usually well dressed Presidential aspirant.

‘By this letter’ Clifford wrote,’all constituency chairmen should ensure that all the executives meet at the Radach memorial centre at the industrial area in Tamale on Saturday, June 17th 2006 at 10.00 am prompt.’

Addo hosted all the party functionaries, sympathizers and all the 160 delegates (ten each from all the 26 constituencies) of the party’s presidential primary scheduled for 2007/8 at the Radach Centre in a closed-door meeting.

Investigations by The Chronicle indicate that the Minister stormed the city to impress upon the delegates to accept him as the next flagbearer of NPP.

Using slides he illustrated some of his achievements and contributions to the country and the party in particular.

And went on to pick the expenses of food, water, drinks and transportations to and from Tamale and probably some ‘motivators’.

Dr. Addo Kufuor’s unofficial or secret visit has been described by some NPP members as the biggest amongst that of his fellow contenders who sometimes visit the region and host their ‘delegates in the night.

Surprisingly, the high profile visit has even caught the attention of some NDC members in town who have raised serious concerns about the Minister’s unofficial campaign visit as they alleged he was not supposed to conduct any campaign or meet delegates until he had officially resigned from his position. “Though we are not in NPP, we know what the constitution of NPP says; he must resign from his current position before barking on any campaign. The constitution says; “That for any Minister who intend to contest for any election must first of all resign from his position as minister of state”. But probably he is using his brother President Kufuor so he decided to violate the rules with impunity,” they said.

Some military men prevented The Chronicle from having interview with Dr. Addo Kufuor when we visited the meeting place. The Management of Radach Memorial Centre where the meeting took place, though showed some hospitality to our investigation team, they decided to remain tightlipped with the understandable explanation that they have to secure the confidence of their customers and protect the image of their hotel. They however admitted hosting Dr. Addo Kufuor and some NPP members through a reservation order or bookings by one Alhaji Wahab on June 11, 2006. Hajia Amama whom the paper was told is currently working as the Northern Regional Coordinator for Dr. Addo Kufuor admitted convening such a meeting but showed empathy with the Minister. She pleaded that he did not come to campaign but only hosted the delegates to remind them about his achievements and contributions to the nation. She confirmed that some token were given all the delegates to cover their traveling expenses.

“It was not to entice them whatsoever”. Hajia Amama was confident that Dr. Addo Kuffour stands the better chance of leading this country after his brother.

She maintained that she and her team of men were working seriously underground to project the Defence Minister for victory. Adding, “obviously every minister deserves protection from the security agencies so the military men who accompanied him is not news as people want you to believe”.

From the presidential ‘decree, any Minister who ‘peaks before time’ would be booted out to the embarassment of the Minister and this latest show of power represents a serious matter as contenders like Hon Akufo Addo and Hon Mike Ocquaye for example may face the ultimate humiliation of a presidential ‘ ouster’, a clear demonstration of preferential treatment that should create tensions within the party.

For the National Security Council, the role of the Armed Forces men who accompanied the Minister in this political meeting may also present another security logjam as the President himself is the Chairman of the Security Council.

The cost of using the ‘presidential plane’, the flying coffin which is in the custody of the Ghana Air Force may also raise questions of accountability.