Ghana: Dissent In Ruling Party Over New V-P

Photo: Paulo Filgueiras/UN

President John Dramani Mahama addresses the UN General Assembly. (file photo)

The choice of Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur by President John Dramani Mahama to partner him in the governance process, was said to have been premised on the need to shore up votes in the Central and Western Regions for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), in the absence of the deceased Head of State and his 'Adze Wo Fie A Oye' mantra.

But even before the Governor of the Bank of Ghana faces the Parliamentary Appointment Committee for vetting on Monday, ugly noises are emanating from the party against his nomination.

Yesterday, Mr. Yaw Boateng Gyan, National Organizer of the NDC shot the nomination down on the premise that Mr. Amissah-Arthur was an unknown personality in the scheme of things of the party and its grass root movement.

He told an Accra radio station that foot soldiers of the NDC, especially would find it difficult selling a Vice-Presidential Candidate, who is not well versed in party matters and hinted of problems with the grassroots acceptability if Mr. Amissah-Arthur was to be presented at the Special Delegates Congress of the party on September 1.

The National Organizer said at the moment, Mr. Amissah-Arthur remained a nominee of the President as Vice-President of the Republic, which is a Presidential prerogative.

A nomination for the September 1 Congress would have to involve the party. It is then that party members would have their say, the NDC National Organizer said.

Mr. Boateng Gyan was of the opinion that a nomination for the Vice-Presidential slot for the 2012 elections would need a broader consultation. It was not a done deal that the Vice-Presidential nominee would be accepted by the party hierarchy at congress for running mate, he intimated.

The National Organizer's assertion followed the rating done by the think tank, IMANI Ghana, comparing the newly appointed Vice-President to New Patriotic Party running mate, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia. In the opinion of IMANI, Dr. Bawumia has an edge over Mr. Amissah-Arthur in ability to deliver the economy.

This assertion was, however, roundly debunked by Mr. Enoch Teye Mensah, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing and veteran of NDC politics who said the Vice-Presidential nominee was not a new comer to national politics.

Mr. Mensah said those who say the Bank of Ghana Governor was a new comer did not know him and that Mr. Amissah- Arthur had been actively involved in politics and party matters for years.

"When you talk about politics, he's not a novice at all. When you talk about NDC, he is one of the men that we started with; pre-NDC, post NDC, he's been part of the game. I think that he's the best choice that we have," Mr. Mensah assured the party faithful. "He's bringing to the table experience, he's bringing to the table competence."

Mr. Amissah-Arthur also had a thumb-up from Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, one-time Minister in the NDC administration of ex-President Jerry John Rawlings.

Dr. Spio-Garbrah told another FM station in Accra that though he did not know what went into the nomination of the Bank of Ghana Governor, but he supports the nomination.

"The bottom line really is that all candidates could not have been selected. Only one person was to be selected and the President, in his own wisdom has chosen Mr. Amissah-Arthur, whom everyone in the NDC knows has made many contributions over the years in the past," Mr. Spio-Garbrah who was also in the reckoning explained.

"He played many important roles during the campaign for the 2008 vote. It is a wise decision on the part of the President; although nobody knows whatever criteria the President used. His decision should be respected," the former Presidential candidate said.

A gentleman in his own right, Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah Arthur would surely pass the vetting on Monday. It is his ability to fill in the big shoes vacated by Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, in terms of votes in the Central and Western Region that remains to be seen.