Some activists of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) are appealing to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to give the youth a chance in his administration.
This, they believe is the surest way to guarantee the future of the party.
According to many social media posts monitored by the newspaper, the NPP activists pointed out that in the administration of President Akufo-Addo, from 2017 to 2020, several of his “class mates” from the government of President Kufuor found their names into his administration either as Ministers of State, Board Chairpersons or Chief Executive Officers.
Having served 8 years under President Kufuor, and 4 years under President Akufo-Addo, the NPP activists insist the time has come for the President to do away with the oldies from the past, and give several youths in the party an opportunity to help grow the NPP.
Taking to social media to vent their frustration one Tete Nokobi wrote on Facebook: “What legacy does the old man want to leave in the party? That he cared less about growth opportunities for the youth? If up to now someone like Hackman Owusu Agyeman,Prof Ameyaw Akumfi ,Kwamena Bartels, Alan Kyeremanten, Kan Dapaa, Kofi Ghana, K. K Sarpong et al cannot boast of replacements for their roles then that’s a failure for the party”.
Matin Sadick Jnr, equally unhappy about the line of appointments also stated: “They shouldn’t just give way, they should resign from ever accepting appointments and get a seat at the party’s council of elders auditorium and help shape the party for better!”
Thermo De Kardinal also stressed: “It is long overdue, these old men continue to disappoint us…let’s give the youth more opportunities and we will certainly do much better….Time to retire the old..”
The calls come at the time President Akufo-Addo is yet to appoint Deputy Ministers, Board Chairpersons, Board Members, Chief Executive Officers, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives.
It is unclear if the appeal by the NPP activists will be heeded to by President Akufo-Addo, whom many describe as a “listening President.”
Earlier in an article Mr. P.K. Sarpong, one of the many voices advocating a change in course by President Akufo-Addo expressed similar sentiments.
He said the NPP coming into office in 2001 saw the appointments of men and women who steered the affairs of the country and that for eight years, the appointees served the country under the John Agyekum Kufuor administration in various capacities.
Mr. Sarpong argued that though many Ghanaians believed at the time that the old guards had served the country for eight solid years and had to be made to sit outside for new people to be brought in, the President went ahead to appoint many of the people who worked with President John Agyekum Kufuor to man some ministries and other state agencies.
President Akufo-Addo, for good reasons, worked with them for four more years. We are in 2021, another four year term has begun and these old appointees are still lurking around the corridors of power? Mr. Sarpong quizzed.
The phenomena he noted is demoralizing to the youth of the party, adding that “Mr. President should do away with these old guards by appointing new but youthful men and women into these positions.”
“It is time new energies, ideas and philosophies were injected into this administration by His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as that is the only way the youth who have gone through the mill would have not only the opportunity to exhibit their inate talents and experiences but also serve as motivational emblems for their peers”, he said.
Mr. Ssrpong emphasized that the old guards were appointed into office by President John Agyekum Kufuor at the same ages the youth of today in the party have attained, so it becomes strange that they are unwilling to give way to the new blood.
“Twelve (12) years of serving as appointees are more than enough for anyone to impact positively on the growth and development of this country and, therefore, does not need to be given additional four years. The law of diminishing returns should act as a guide as we move forward.”
Mr. Sarpong is sure we need new blood, new ideas, stressing that (for) “the youth to be integral parts of this administration. The old guards have played their roles. Politics, just like life, is a stage, you play your role, exit the scene and then others take over your role to exhibit what they also know or have learnt.”
Source: A Ghanaian Publisher Report