NDC Flagbearer must be an economist if 2024 polls will be on economy – Avoka

Former Majority Leader and incumbent Member of Parliament for Zebila East, Cletus Apul Avoka has rejected the justification for the appointment of Dr Cassiel Ato Forson as the new Minority Leader.

The Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has said the party’s campaign message for the 2024 elections will centre more on the economy, hence the party’s decision to appoint Dr Cassiel Ato Forson as the new Minority Leader.

According to him, the expertise of Dr Ato Forson who until the new appointment was the Ranking Member on the Finance Committee of Parliament will effectively sell the NDC’s message ahead of the crucial elections.

“The 2024 election is going to be fought around the economy, so the debate is basically going to be about the economy. So if you are a serious party fighting to win an election. You must put your best foot forward to win the debate”.

“You can’t just tell people that the economy is in shambles when you have not been able to put your experts there to be able to communicate to Ghanaians how you will do things better. So this is the point where we need our finance and economic people around, and that is why we put them there,” Asiedu Nketiah explained in an interview.

Other changes include Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP for Ellembelle who has been brought in to replace Ketu North MP, James Klutse Avedzi as the Deputy Minority Leader while Kwame Governs Agbodza has also replaced Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak as the Minority Chief Whip.

Ahmed Ibrahim and Comfort Doyoe-Ghansah were, however, maintained in their positions as First and Second deputy Whips respectively.

But speaking to Starr News, Cletus Avoka insisted that the move by the party is not justified.

He added that if the argument of the party is anything to go by, then the NDC Flagbearer for the 2024 election must also be a Flagbearer.

“…The other reason Asiedu Nketia has given the least said about it the better, is that the 2024 election will be fought on the economic front and Ato Forson being an Economist, it is prudent that we have him there, granted.

“Then if so, the Flagbearer must be an economist too, the Flagbearer is the one who is going to lead us to the campaign. He’s going to be the President of Ghana, then he must be an economist. That is why Ato Forson is the Ranking Member for the Committee on Finance, and he’s been doing very well. It is teamwork and Haruna has not been poor as far as the economic system is concerned. So I don’t see that argument.”