Presenting Julius Debrah as 2024 running mate for John Dramani Mahama

Over the past few weeks, there have been loads of socio-political dialectics about a befitting running mate for the 2024 NDC presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama. Beyond doubts, the NDC is poised and better positioned for holding Ghana’s governance mantle come 2025, which the majority of Ghanaians are yearning for and cannot wait to affirm through the 2024 general elections.

Although NDC victory is impervious, certain decisions could significantly enhance the outcome. The NDC presenting John Dramani Mahama is a monumental accord, which has already become a dilemma for the NPP in their struggling bid to get any suitable candidate. To further consolidate the NDC’s brighter position, the choice of a running mate who subsequently becomes the Vice President after the party’s victory is very crucial.

This is more so because, beyond the conviction that the NDC is winning the elections, other edges have to be pruned to ensure a significant percentage for the President as well as securing a far greater number of Parliamentary seats. The persona, background, competence, skills, attributes, connection with the party base, and respect by the populace are vital traits that would be assessed before one is considered for the pivotal position of a running mate.

Irrevocably, the NDC party has in time passed presented untainted candidates of great repute as running mates among which two had moved on from Vice Presidents to becoming Presidents, with unsurpassed governance output for the 21st century. Similarly, in the recent turn of events, there are views from some party folks, academics, and political analysts alike about deserving persons that they deem favorable to become a possible running mate for John Dramani Mahama.

All the names that are popping up simply lend credence to the point that the NDC maintains the finest human resource expertise for the type of governance to deliver Ghanaians out of the current political quagmire and economic abyss. That said, one person that in my candid opinion leads the pack among the rest is Julius Debrah.

I dare to suggest with the strongest conviction that Julius Debrah (JD) would make the best pair with John Mahama (JM) for some basic but cogent reasons.

First and foremost, Julius Debrah is an astute politician and a die-hard member of the NDC who began his political career and party service from the grassroots. He did not just emerge from the background to get appointed for a higher position but rather, he labored through thick and thin with patience and dedication from the branch-level engagements, through which he acquired the requisite experiences as he progressively scaled the political ladder.

At the turn of the 21st century, whilst the party was in opposition, he served in various positions in the Eastern Region including a Propaganda Secretary to becoming a Regional Chairman. Around that same period, he pooled and dedicated resources to contesting as the Parliamentary Candidate for the party in the years 2000 and 2004 in the Suhum Constituency.

Although he faced one of the stiffest opponents, for all those encounters and later in 2012, his bids significantly popularized the NDC party, consequently contributing in no small means towards the NDC victories in 2008 and 2012. Irrefutably, Julius Debrah’s political background and popularity presents a perfect pairing with John Dramani Mahama to attract support from all spheres of persons and across regional blocs, within the party and beyond.

Second, Julius Debrah has gained enormous maturity in governance through diverse professional engagements in business, public service, and executive positions. Julius Debrah is celebrated for his success in business and entrepreneurial activities, which has in turn generated employment, provided products and services, and contributed to the economic benefits for individuals and communities.

He is recognized for a conglomerate of businesses in Tourism & Hospitality, Automobile Inspectorate, Insurance, Banking, Water & Beverages, Agriculture, Construction, Real Estate, and Broadcasting.

Moreover, during his tenure as the Executive Director of the Ghana Tourism Board, he significantly improved the tourism industry. Specifically, acting in harmony with the Ministry of Tourism, the then Ghana Tourism Board was restructured into the Ghana Tourism Authority, which enhanced tourism infrastructure and promoted tourist activities for the country. His performance attracted attention in the sub-Region and beyond, engaging with many countries across the globe.

Even more, his performance as the Minister for Local Government & Rural Development (2014-2015), albeit for a few years, left an indelible ink for the Ministry and the John Mahama regime. He effectively used the local government architecture to admirably get connected with institutions, communities, traditional leaders, local government agents as well as the grassroots party members and structures. Beyond doubt, the outstanding socio-economic programs and projects that he initiated attracted attention and commanded respect from all strata of society.

Distinctively, he promoted pleasing work ethics within the metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies (MMDAs), engineered practical sanitation initiatives notably the National Sanitation Exercises across cities, advanced local government legislations, and above all within a broader implementation framework carried through with the countrywide Street Naming Exercise. Ghanaians would embrace a running mate with such an impeccable performance record devoid of any corruption stains.

Finally, another substantial ground for holding the view that Hon. Julius Debrah is nominated and approved as the running mate for His Excellency John Mahama is the immutable synergy between JD and JM. The success of the Presidency among other things is greatly connected to how the President harmonizes with the Vice President. Most well-meaning Ghanaians view JM to be affable, hardworking, patient, virtuous, tolerant, and praiseworthy of all other attributes that one could desire of a President.

In a similar vein, JD positively exhibits the composure, skills, and character that aligns with that of his cherished boss and friend, JM. John Mahama did not only realize his indestructible competence but felt so comfortable with Julius Debrah that he appointed him as the Chief of Staff during the most crucial times of his Presidency – from 2015 into the heat of the electioneering campaigns and activities of 2016. He has since remained one of the most attached persons to John Mahama, in promoting the best interests of the NDC party towards a 2024 victory to Save Ghana.

In conclusion, although any other person currently being suggested for the running mate slot in one way or the other is deserving, Julius Debrah in many respects excels as the most suitable for John Mahama and eventually becomes the Vice President come 2025. Therefore, based on the delineation of the suitability of Julius Debrah for that constitutionally mandated position, I unequivocally proclaim my strongest conviction, which I believe to be akin to the opinions of the masses, in support of JM and JD for NDC 2024.