FULL TEXT: Freddie Blay's speech at NPP's press conference

Freddie Blay, the National Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has said, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer’s desire to be re-elected President of the country is “born out of shock, confusion and the urge to satisfy self-ego”.

According to Mr Blay, John Dramani Mahama’s intentions do not genuinely stem from a sincere desire to provide better development policy alternatives to the masses.

He indicated that, this is evident in how the NDC flagbearer has conducted himself throughout the 2020 election campaign.

“The ex-President’s inability to realise that a good leader knows when to lead from the front, amidst, and behind his people, in itself demonstrates his obsession with power

“The NDC’s presidential candidate could simply have taken advantage of his experience to have served as UN Co-Chair of SDG Eminent Advocates to also lead development for humanity, if he really means well for us,” the NPP chairman said in a statement.

Freddie Wosemewu Blay, however, called on Ghanaians to vote against John Mahama in the December 7 elections because he does not have the interest of Ghana at heart.

Read below Freddie Wosemewu Blay's full statement:

With just a little over 48 hours to December 7 polls, the leadership of the New Patriotic Party wishes to sensitize the Ghanaian voter about where Ex-President John Mahama really belongs in our body politics. The 2020 Presidential Candidate of the NDC, has been reluctant to accept that his leadership portfolio had transitioned from a President to an Ex-President after the December 2016 elections. Perhaps, the loud, humiliating and bitter defeat he suffered in the last election must have hurt his ego — human as he is.

One of ex-President John Dramani Mahama’s greatest mistakes as a leader is his failure to recognise that his time to lead the good people of Ghana as President is long gone. Indeed, one may easily suspect that Mr. Mahama’s renewed presidential aspiration was born out of shock, confusion and the urge to satisfy self-ego. His intentions do not genuinely stem from a sincere desire to provide better development policy alternatives to the masses. This is evident in how the NDC’s flagbearer has conducted himself throughout the 2020 election campaign. The Ex-President’s inability to realize that a good leader knows when to lead from the front, amidst, and behind his people, in itself demonstrates his obsession with power.

Mr John Mahama has served Ghana in different capacities, enjoying several benefits and entitlements. He has a unique opportunity of contributing significantly to nation-building in many ways other than contesting to be President of Ghana again. The NDC’s Presidential candidate could simply have taken advantage of his experience to have served as UN Co-Chair of SDG Eminent Advocates to also lead development for humanity, if he really means well for us. Ghanaians and the NPP continue to remain very proud of H. E Ex-President John A. Kufuor who has been using his influence to unify the country, impacting positively on issues such as; education, youth development, biodiversity conservation, climate change, agriculture, food and nutrition amongst others.

The NDC’s flagbearer, Mr Mahama, rather than commending and constructively criticizing his successor, has unfortunately resorted to exploit the sentiments and emotions of vulnerable electorates, inciting them against the President and his government, all in the name of political campaigning. This is exactly the divisive course the Ex-President, Mr Mahama and his Party have been charting with their so-called "communal labour". Despite being beneficiaries of the many good policies and social interventions of the NPP under Nana Addo, Mr Mahama and the NDC are busy wasting resources in trying to convince Ghanaians to truncate the steady progress being made by the Nana Addo government, just for his self-serving interest and that of his cronies.

The NPP has a tradition of presenting to the good people of Ghana the best Presidential materials to lead the nation when duty calls. It is no wonder that Ghanaians always experience dynamism injected into our national development agenda under an NPP Government. The nation benefits from uplifting-social-policy interventions that are widespread to all, such as NHIS, Single Spine, School Feeding, Free SHS, Ambulances for all Constituencies, etc. Is it not obvious to the Ghanaian people that the Ex-President, John Mahama and the NDC have been hugely inspired by the visionary leadership of H. E Nana Addo?

In recent times, Ghanaians have seen the opposition NDC attempting to identify with the bold policies implemented by the President in less than 4 years of his administration. Clearly, this is an admission by the John Mahama-led NDC campaign team that the NPP policies largely meet the aspirations and goals of the Ghanaian people.

The “Ghana Beyond Aid” Agenda and “Beyond the Return” Initiative have opened up the country to greater opportunities. Also, Ghana’s hosting of the Secretariat for the Africa Free Continental Trade Area, places the country on the road to greater prosperity and wealth creation for our local people and economy. The new era of the country’s industrial drive is boosting our competitiveness, attracting reputable global manufacturing brands into Ghana for business. What else can a growing democracy like Ghana desire mostly at this time, particularly in the face of COVID-19?

If Ghanaians practically assess the level of development and progress made in the 12 years of NPP-led governments as compared to the 16 years of NDC under our 4th Republic, NPP stands tall with its policy initiatives. I must admit, however, that having an immediate Ex-President for the first time in the Presidential race of our nation is historic, and has made the 2020 political contest more competitive. It has also distinguished clearly the NPP's development agenda from that of the major opposition party, the NDC. Ghanaians have witnessed a great deal of firm leadership and better governance under H. E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The implementation of our promises to the electorates in our first term has been guided by conviction and a great sense of urgency. There would be an expansion of access to more new opportunities for many more Ghanaians and our communities, over the next 4 years in power.

The Nana Addo-led NPP government remains Ghana’s best bet, particularly in these critical times of our nation’s history. The great achievements of the President’s leadership and the continued implementation of all the people-centred policies, will create more new programmes for job creation and economic growth. These bold policy initiatives and the commitments for their implementation must continue unabated over a longer period, to give the electorates the best value for our common resources.

Coincidentally, Mr John Mahama’s four-year experience as Ex-President, but again nurturing Presidential ambition, would come in handy to the nation when he is retired finally by the Ghanaian electorates come December 7, 2020. At such a time when Ghana is still grieving the Death of Ex-President JJ Rawlings, we all have a duty to straighten Ex-President John Dramani Mahama and compel him to magnify his office as Ex-President. Let's retire him into the Ex-President Statesman he is expected to be and make him more responsible in that capacity. Let’s all vote against John Mahama to keep him away from the Presidency for the 3rd time by massively voting a second term for H. E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo.

It is, therefore, my humble duty as National Chairman of the great New Patriotic Party (NPP), to call on all Ghanaians to vote massively for H. E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. He is the best Presidential candidate in the December 2020 Presidential race and the number 1 on the ballot paper.

I am equally hopeful that when Mr. John Mahama’s election defeat is being discussed next week in the media, history would be kind to him.

-Sign-

Hon. Freddie Blay

National Chairman

New Patriotic Party