A flagbearer aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has charged party grassroot members to massively vote for him on the 4th of November 2023 to become the presidential candidate of the UP tradition so that he can reform the party and make it battle-ready to win the upcoming 2024 general elections.

This, he noted, will also enable him have the mandate to pursue sustainable policies that are aimed at renewing the hope and confidence of the NPP fraternity where each and every one will see him or herself as a proud member of the party and to also enjoy every benefit that comes with it.

“I know what has been going on within you – the frustrations and bitterness within you. Some are even worse. I will introduce life-changing policies where each and every member of the party will benefit’, he noted.

He told the delegates that they deserve a leader who understands the plight of the people and also have the right remedies to address all their concerns.

“So far, I am the only candidate who has demonstrated that attitude and proffered the time honoured solutions, so give me the chance to prove that to you. I am sad about the current situation of the party, “he said.

Dr. Akoto made this appeal when he interacted with over 600 designated NPP delegates belonging to Team Akoto, who are leading his campaign to woo the 40,000 Polling Station Executives in the Greater Accra Region.

The meeting took place at his campaign office in Accra on Wednesday, October 18, 2023.

Speaking further, the Cambridge University trained Agricultural Economist said on top of his reform agenda is to establish businesses owned by the NPP where the proceeds would be used to finance the party activists at the grassroots level.

According to the former two-term Member of Parliament for Kwadaso constituency, these party-owned companies would be managed by a holding company that will ensure that party members are gainfully employed by the businesses. He cited key examples in Taiwan where Kuomintang (KMT) or the Nationalist Party of Taiwan amassed a vast business empire of banks, investment companies, petrochemical firms, and television and radio stations to assist in managing the party.

He noted that this approach and solutions have proven to be effective and reliable over a significant period of time. These solutions have been used and trusted for generations and are considered to be enduring and respected for their track record.

He also cited the ANC party in South Africa that has Chancellor House Holdings, a private company managing its business empire, including mining and other assets and generating wealth through prudent and viable investment opportunities for their shareholders.

Chancellor House Holding does not invest in companies that tender for any work or conduct procurement directly or indirectly with any RSA’s National, Provincial and Local Government spheres, Government Agencies and State-Owned Entities.

Dr. Akoto, who is Ghana’s longest serving Minister of Food and Agriculture in the 4th Republic told the delegates that their welfare remains paramount and assured them of his unflinching support when he gets their mandate to become the presidential candidate of the NPP and subsequently as President of Ghana.

He said it is only when the morale of the party’s grassroots is high that they would work assiduously to ensue the party stays in power for a very long time, insisting that he is the only candidate who has them at heart and by working together, they will make history by breaking the eight-year governance cycle in the 2024 general elections.

Erick Owusu, a coordinator from the Korle Klottey constituency in contributing to the discourse, thanked Dr. Akoto for identifying the problems confronting the grassroots party executives and finding an antidote to them with his sustainable policy of establishing party-owned businesses to generate income for the party.

“This is what we have been yearning for over the years. It is my prayer that all of us here throw their wait behind you to clinch the flagbearer position and bring the changes we are looking for, “he noted.

Philip Allotey, a coordinator from Bortianor Ngleshi Amanfrom constituency on his part, lauded Dr. Akoto for conducting a clean campaign devoid of insults and personality attacks. He assured Dr. Akoto of votes after having been convinced with his vision for the party and the country and urged his colleagues Electoral Area Coordinators to do same.

The NPP goes to the polls on November 4, 2023, to select a presidential candidate who will lead the party to the 2024 general elections.

Dr. Akoto is number 3 on the ballot paper. He placed 4th in the Super Delegates Conference held on August 26, 2023.

Over 210,000 delegates are expected to vote in the National Delegates Conference on November 4, 2024.