Some grassroots delegates in the Ashanti Region have pledged to reward Dr. Owusu Afriyie-Akoto by voting massively for him to become the flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the 2024 general election.
They have equally urged delegates across the country to vote for the former Minister for Food and Agriculture when the party goes to the polls on November 4, 2023, to elect the flagbearer for next year’s presidential election.
According to the delegates, they have, for the past 10 months, listened to the campaign messages of all the presidential aspirants.
However, one candidate whose message stands out among the lot is the Cambridge University Scholar and Ghana’s longest serving Minister of Food and Agriculture in the 4th Republic, Dr. Owusu Afriyie-Akoto.
To them, the former two-term Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwadaso has demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that he has the solution to Ghana’s problems as well as the party members.
According to them, they have long shared the belief that investing in agriculture was antidote to Ghana’s myriads of economic challenges, and that Dr. Afriyie-Akoto’s message of using agriculture as the bedrock to reviving the country’s ailing economy has confirmed their thoughts.
Of particular importance to their course, they noted, was Dr. Afriyie-Akoto’s vision to reform the NPP by establishing party-owned businesses that offer employment opportunities to members while providing the needed financial resources to cushion the party activists.
The party activists made these observations during their interaction with Dr. Afriyie-Akoto on Saturday, October 21, 2023, at his Danyame residence in Kumasi following his resumption of his Ashanti Regional tour.
The astute politician was officially scheduled to begin his week-long tour to the Ashanti Region from October 2 – 6, 2023, by holding strategic meetings with key party members at different locations in the region.
However, the tour was suspended by Dr. Afriyie-Akoto following the demise of Ghana’s former First Lady, Theresa Kufuor, who sad event occurred on Sunday, October 1, 2023.
In a show of support, the party activists appealed to the Cambridge University trained Economist to bless them so they could go out to propagate his message to the rest of their colleague delegates in and outside the Ashanti Region.
“We have painstakingly been following you. We have listened to your vision for the party and that for our country, Ghana. You have the solution to our problems. You appeal to the rank and file of the party, and we will have no difficulty marketing you. Please, let us be part of your campaign team and spread your message”, an elated NPP Communication Officer for Atwima Mponua constituency, Albert Kwaku Asiedu noted.
Janet Awuah, Kwadaso NPP Women’s Organizer, told the gathering that she needed no permission to campaign for Dr. Afriyie-Akoto since she believes in his abilities to revive Ghana and reform the NPP for all to benefit.
She urged the delegates to be motivated by the former Agric Minister’s message of hope and hit the ground running by spreading the message across the country.
Dr. Afriyie-Akoto, who was awe-stricken by the cheering crowd in a brief remark, granted the request made by the party activists.
He urged them to work assiduously and ensure that the Afriyie-Akoto brand comes top in all their doings.
The former Minister of Food and Agriculture further told the enthusiastic party activists to count on him to deliver victory for the party in the 2024 presidential election.
The NPP goes to the polls on November 4, 2023, to select a presidential candidate who will lead the party to the 2024 general election.
Dr. Afriyie-Akoto is number 3 on the ballot paper and he is going into the contest with Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Assin Central MP Kennedy Ohene Agyapong and former MP for Mampong constituency Francis Addai-Nimoh.
He placed 4th in the Super Delegates Conference held on August 26, 2023 to choose five out of 10 presidential aspirants for the November 4 polls.
Over 200,000 delegates are expected to vote in the National Delegates Conference on November 4, 2023.
