My political career is not over – Amissah-Arthur

Former Vice-President, Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has hinted that his political career in not over.

He made the statement when he chaired a lecture in Accra Thursday, May 31, 2018, ahead of the marking of the June 4 Revolution.

The former Vice President in his closing remarks hinted that “I started as an Economist I was dragged into politics, I don’t know if am there or am going home but to borrow the words of President Rawlings it’s not over, it’s not over’’ he stated.

He expressed his unqualified backing of the principles of probity and accountability that are perpetually espoused by former President Jerry John Rawlings’s and which form the foundation of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), stressing that “they are not over”.

The revolutionary lecture series which was borne out of the experiences and the philosophy of Former President Rawlings and the revolutionary transition Ghana has gone through since June 4th 1979.

He also agreed with Professor Kwesi Botchwey that the fundamental structures of the economy needs re-engineering.

The former Finance Minister under the JJ Rawlings’ administration (and Ghana’s longest serving finance minister), Professor Kwesi Botchwey, delivered a lecture on Ghana’s economic and social situation prior to 1983. It was followed by a review of the economic reforms from1983 to 1992: Issues, Responses and Outcomes.

According to Professor Botchwey, although the county has recorded a slight improvement in macroeconomic indicators signifying some level of growth . He said it’s not yet time to celebrate as there are still vulnerabilities in the economy that have the potential to stifle Ghana’s quest to attain its development goals.

Professor Botchwey, therefore, called for a called for a conscious effort to expand the revenue base of the country to sustain the gains.

He said as a nation we should not jump and celebrate the small change in the economy because the fundamental structures have not been changed as we are still in a commodity importing based economy.

The former Vice-President cited a situation in the first Parliament of the Fourth Republic when the NDC, with an overwhelming majority of 90 percent in the Legislative House, voted against its own government’s budget because it was considered to be too harsh for the country at the time.

Mr. Amissah-Arthur, who is an economist, academic and former Deputy Finance Minister and later Governor of the Bank of Ghana, recounted the heady days of Ghana’s economic and social situation prior to 1983, through to the economic reforms from 1983 to 1992 and noted that the NDC surmounted the challenges and stood to the test of its principles of probity and accountability to the people.

The former Vice-President urged members of the NDC to put the disappointment of the 2016 general election behind them, continue to hold on to the principles of the party and intensify the campaign to regain power in 2020, adding, “it’s not over”. The lecture on Thursday was the second in the series of lectures dubbed: “The Revolutionary Lecture Series” in honour of the experiences and philosophy of former President Jerry John Rawlings and the revolutionary transition Ghana went through in the 1980’s.

Organized under the auspices of the Office of Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings founder of the NDC as part of activities marking the annual celebration of the June 4, 1979 uprising, this year’s lecture was under the theme: REVOLUTIONARY ECONOMIC TRENDS, GHANA IN FOCUS: PAST PRESENT AND THE FUTURE.

The second speaker on the day was Professor Kusi, who treated the topic “Ghana’s Economic Growth and Development in the Democratic Environment Issues, Responses and Outcomes and a rethinking of Ghana’s development on a sustainable basis”.

The event, which was held at the National Theatre in Accra, was attended by leading members of the NDC, socialist groups, political partners and civil society organisations(CSOs) attended.

The crowd observed and serving and listened to the speakers and panellists as they took the house down the history lane on matters regarding Ghana’s economic situation over the years.

Some of the participant during question time sought to find out how the values of the June 4th Revolution; probity, accountability, truth among others were being upheld in today’s democratic governance and the way forward.

This year’s lecture attracted former President Rawlings stalwarts of the NDC past and present including Dr Kofi Potuphy, National Chairman of the NDC, Alhaji Hudu Yahaya, Hon E. T Mensah, former Speaker of Parliament, Hon Doe Adjaho, Mr Dan Abodakpi, Alex Segbefia, Vice Chairman of the African Union Ambassador Kwesi Kwartey, Koku Anyidoho, Elvis Afiyie Ankrah and others.