General Secretary of the General Agricultural Workers’ Union (GAWU), Edward Kareweh, has cast doubts on the effectiveness of Alan John Kyerematen’s policies in his bid to become flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He explained that Mr Kyerematen’s policies are generalised, making it difficult to conclude that such policies are not doable.
“I believe all that happened had cabinet endorsement and he was one of them. So I’m not seeing what he could come to do differently. If he then becomes the president, he’s not the person who’s going to implement those policies,” he said on Wednesday.
Speaking on JoyNews’ News Desk, the union’s General Secretary insisted that the trajectory in the roll-out of policies by former Trade Minister’s government leaves questions about his latest announcement.
“It’s ministers like him as he is today who’s not a president who implement policies. So I’m not too sure that if he becomes the president and he has these ideas and then you have a minister to implement those policies, he can guarantee that those policies would be properly implemented.
“So if he’s still talking about generalities, and when you’re are the point of generalities, it is very difficult for one to say it is not doable. But when it comes to the details, what we know, the experience that we already have in this country, particularly with his government gives a lot of doubt,” he added.
However, a Marketing Consultant at the University of Education, Winneba, Dr Bernard Tutu-Boahene, was of the view that Mr Kyerematen’s speech reflects an acknowledgment of the “good things that the Akufo-Addo led government had done and he believes that there’s still room for improvement.”
According to him, “the fact that he was serving in the Akufo-Addo-led government doesn’t mean that he was part of, he probably agreed with it.”
He said Mr Kyeremanteng’s speech only reveals that he could have done things differently if given the nod.
The former Trade Minister announced his resignation on January 10, 2023, to pursue his presidential ambition.
The 67-year-old politician is seeking to file nomination to contest in the flagbearership race of the governing NPP.
“I wish to use this platform to formally announce my decision to contest the flagbearership of the New Patriotic Party when the Party officially opens nominations for that purpose,” he said in a televised broadcast.
Some policies revealed in his speech include; Downsizing of government, New Agricultural Revolution (NAR) for Ghana, a Strong Macroeconomic Environment amongst others which are classified under one title called the Great Transformational Plan (GTP).
Following his resignation was another resignation of the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, who is also seeking to contest in the flagbearership race.