Politics of Monday, 3 April 2006

Source: Statesman

Prof Akosa reaffirms decision not to run

If there is any iota of doubt in the minds of watchers of the Ghanaian political scene and the public that Agyemang Badu Akosa, Director General of the Ghana Health Service, will put in stakes to become the Presidential Candidate of any party, The Statesman can indubitably confirm that the medical whiz-kid will not play that electoral game. Prof Akosa simply won?t run, states our sources.

This paper gathered from unimpeachable sources on the opening day of the just-ended two-day7th Ghana Investors? Advisory Council Prof Akosa is studying the past, contemporary and futuristic political developments and biding his time to take a definite decision on his presidential ambitions at the appropriate time after the 2008 general elections. The GAIC was held from 31st March to 1st April at Akosombo in Eastern Region.

When our Chief Correspondent espied the former President of the Ghana Medical Association at the luxurious precincts of the deluxe Volta Hotel, which overlooks the Akosombo Hydro-Electric Dam, and approached him for a brief interview, he excused himself that he was doing some work.

Work? Yes, Prof Akosa was one of the experienced persons who were selected by the GAIC Secretariat to be facilitators of the Council?s meetings. Prof Akosa was busily clapping his hands to draw the attention of participants to resume the proceedings at the conference at about11: 20 am.

Recent media reports have indicated that Prof Akosa was interested in running for the presidential slot of the Convention Peoples? Party but the health administrator denied he had such presidential ambitions. Some media sources have even suggested that he would compete for the ultimate political prize in Ghana on the ticket of the ruling New Patriotic Party.

The Brong royal, however, has deep CPP roots and sympathies as he was reported to have attended meetings and public fora of The Patriots, an informal group within the CPP. He is a known Nkrumaist. Yet political analysts surmise that the fact that he accepted to facilitate the GAIC for President John Agyekum Kufuor could be motivated by his patriotic fervour and public spirit.