A former presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwadwo Kyerematen made a significant announcement on Monday, September 25, 2023.
He resigned from the NPP and unveiled a four-point agenda for his independent candidacy in the upcoming 2024 elections.
Mr. Kyerematen, who previously held the position of Minister of Trade, cited several concerns as the motivation behind his departure from the NPP.
He expressed his long-standing grievances about the perceived divisiveness within the party and the alleged hostile attacks directed at him and his supporters over the past decade.
Mr. Kyerematen declared, “I have endured these resentments and maintained my integrity within the party for the past fifteen years.” However, he ultimately felt compelled to take a different path.
Mr. Kyerematen’s decision to run as an independent candidate signifies a pivotal moment in Ghanaian politics, and his proposed “Movement for Change” will undoubtedly shape the discourse in the lead-up to the 2024 elections.
His departure from the NPP and his independent candidacy mark a significant development in Ghana’s political landscape.
Below are his four points agenda
- Change the political status quo by moving Ghana beyond the duopoly of the two main political parties in Ghana; the NPP and NDC. This will break divisive partisanship in governance in Ghana, and bring an end to the “winner takes all” political syndrome. In addition, there is the need to promote reforms in the internal democratic processes and procedures of all political parties, such as introducing ‘One Man One Vote’ (OMOV) to ensure inclusiveness, and reduce the effect of monetization in politics. The principles underpinning national elections must be reflected in the electoral process of political parties in Ghana.
- Promote the establishment of a Government of National Unity, which will include people from all walks of life, irrespective of their political, religious, and ethnic affiliations: rich or poor, abled-bodied or physically challenged, young or old, women and men. This will allow for effective and inclusive participatory governance. The MOVEMENT will lead to the formation of a Government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
- Build consensus on a National Development Agenda which will introduce a new paradigm shift that moves Ghana from growth and stability to economic transformation. This paradigm shift will be driven by my Great Transformational Plan (GTP) for Ghana, which puts the private sector and the business community at the center of our national development efforts.
4. Inspire behavioural and attitudinal change in the people of Ghana. This will include but not be limited to the following.
a. Enforcement of Discipline: We as a people should appreciate the need for maintaining discipline in all spheres of our national lives, including changing our attitude to work.
b. A War against Corruption: Corruption, particularly from the public purse, denies our country the benefit of utilizing its tax revenue and other resources for the development of our country. All sections of Ghanaian society should wage a vigorous war on corruption, through a combination of legal and institutional reforms, the application of technology including artificial intelligence, blockchain technology and data analytics, as well as maintaining societal pressure against corruption, and leading by example. If elected as the President of the Republic, I will sign a “Citizens Contract” with the people of Ghana, committing to wage a relentless war against corruption.
c. Arrogance of Power: As I have stated on previous occasions, the arrogance of power has been a major obstruction to progress in our country. People in positions of authority must understand that leadership is an opportunity to serve the people, and not to lord over them. In servant leadership, humility is an asset and not a weakness.
d. Passion for Excellence: As a country, we must celebrate competence and excellence and not mediocrity. Advancement in the public sector in particular, must be based on meritocracy and not patronage and protocol. Putting square pegs in round holes has been the biggest challenge for service delivery at every level in our governance structure. A significant shift in this regard, will allow the best talents in our country, particularly the youth, to be deployed to achieve optimum performance in various institutions and organizations.
e. Solution Based Thinking and a Focus on Execution: As a people, we must focus more on ‘getting things done’ and finding solutions to problems, rather than spending time on excessive and needles debates.
f. Making Laws Work in Ghana: The lack of compliance and disrespect for laws, rules, and regulations in Ghana, is a major stumbling block for national development. As a people, we must commit ourselves to the sanctity and rule of law, to ensure peace, law, and order in our society.
g. Patriotism: The pride of being Ghanaian and promoting good citizenship, as well as patronizing goods made in Ghana, is a development imperative.