I read with utter disbelief the statement by George Opesikah Aggudey that Paa Kwesi’s bid to become CPP presidential candidate is analogous to monkey de work bamboo the chop. Why somebody aspiring to the presidency of Ghana would choose such an idiom to express his feelings about an opposing candidate beats my imagination. Perhaps if he had reelected on those words he would have realised that the word ‘chop’ is a word that Ghanaians have come to associate with doggy politicians and all those seeking to improve our politics, no matter their party, would have serious concerns about his choice of language. Nor would he go on to use the words monkey and bamboo in a country that values respect for our elders/ leaders. Any wander that with such an approach he only managed to secure 1% of the vote in the last presidential elections?

If Aggudey thinks that his money can win an election he should be reminded that even Edward Mahama, with his limited resources pulled nearly twice as many votes as he did. But given that his intended point was that Paa Kwesi had not contributed to the CPP we would like to tackle this lie head on.

1 Unlike Aggudey Paa Kwesi did not seek to be president on arrival in Ghana after years abroad. Paa Kwesi started his political career as an Assemblyman and subsequently won the 2004 parliamentary election on the ticket of the CPP. By virtue of his immense international experience as a Business re-engineering expert he was invited to serve in Kuffour’s administration, a decision which was approved by the CPP central committee in 2001. His contribution as a minister over the past 6 years has been exemplary.

1. In 1995, long before Aggudey left his struggling business in London to move to Ghana, Paa Kwesi was supporting the CPP. He adopted and sponsored 5 regions with cash, bicycles, T/Shirts and other logistics. He also selected and sponsored over 10 Parliamentary Candidates to contest the 1996 elections. The regions sponsored are; (a) Western (b) Eastern (c) Volta (d) Upper East (e) Central.

2. The National Delegates’ Congress of 1999 was funded by Paa Kwesi to the tune of a whopping c45 million and this was when he was not contesting any position and was actually out of the country in the USA.

3. In 2004 Paa Kwesi supported, campaigned and sponsored several Parliamentary contestants with cash, posters, billboards and other logistics.

4. Aggudey thinks that Paa kwesi has just joined the CPP. Not only was Paa Kwesi born into the tradition, the son of the Central Region Director of Young Pioneers, he was one of those who championed the legal battle to reclaim the name CPP and the Red Cockerel.

5. When Aggudey was busy refusing to pay the national insurance contributions and pension contributions of his workers, Paa Kwesi was busy sponsoring students who had gained admission to university but hadn’t the financial resources to better their future.

6. Aggudey thinks that putting up sign boards on roads of our major cities is the route to electoral victory. Paa Kwesi doesn’t believe that. Paa Kwesi believes that for the CPP to move forward we need to have the right structures, the right people in national leadership and the right message. You can have millions of billboards but without the right leadership and the right message nobody will join the party.

7. Unlike Aggudey who likes to ride on the shoulders of Kwame Nkrumah, Paa Kwesi is his own man. Paa Kwesi is a professional strategist who has his own message for Ghanaians- AN ALL INCLUSIVE AGENDA FOR PROSPERITY AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL GHANAIANS. Aggudey’s agenda of chopping is part of the politics of jobs for the boys- contracts going to only cardholders of the party in power, which is something that Paa Kwesi is fully opposed to.

8. After several years as a successful businessman and consultant to businesses, he could have easily joined the right in Ghana. But Politics is about conviction. Paa Kwesi’s conviction is that the problems we face as Ghanaians and their solutions cannot be explained simply by reference to capitalism or socialism. Paa Kwesi believes that ideas and solutions to our problems should triumph over dogmatic application of ideologies. He believes that we should dedicate our efforts to fighting to free Ghanaians from poverty. He believes in fighting poverty by creating a society that will enable every Ghanaian to reach his or her highest level of human potential. He believes in a government that would create equal opportunities for all Ghanaians, not a few. He wants CHANGE that translates into concrete economic and social benefits.

9. Aggudey should be reminded that Paa Kwesi does not believe in the politics of insults. Nor are our people impressed with the politics of divide and conquer. We believe fundamentally in inclusiveness.

Paa Kwesi’s message is simple: with a common purpose and shared vision we can make this nation new, vibrant and truly great.

Aggudey what is your message to Ghanaians?

Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.