NPP needs schooling on corporate governance – Adu Asare

Presidential staffer Kojo Adu Asare has said the NPP must learn to appreciate processes that go into the setting up of a business, and the role of investors and stop playing mischief around the Komenda Sugar Factory.

According to him, government’s role is to facilitate establishment of such initiatives, but administrative duties lie with the board and management.

Mr Asare, who was speaking on Accra-based Asempa FM’s Enkosi Sen programme, said the NPP’s attempt to pitch the public against government as if it had erred in setting up the factory, amounts to a lack of appreciation of corporate governance procedure.

He was reacting to comments by the NPP that government should explain why it hurriedly commissioned a project when indeed it knew it was not ready to start full operations. The opposition NPP earlier alleged at a news conference that the factory had been closed down barely 48 hours after it was commissioned.

“I am surprised the NPP wants government to decide on how the factory should be run when that is not its core mandate. Government has played its part by making sure it’s gone out there to source for capital for establishing the factory, appointed a board, drafted the sugar policy for approval and should now leave it for the management to run the show. It can then keep an oversight responsibility. Anything that has to do with the management and how it scheduled the factory’s operations is purely administrative than political so they must go and learn corporate governance,” he argued.

He said the NPP finds it convenient to direct their frustration at government for cheap political propaganda.

“The NPP should have rather taken it upon themselves to go and see for themselves what really is taking place at the factory. But well, I am not surprised because when you have an opposition party that lacks alternative policies to counter that of government, you can understand why they rush to condemn anything intended to better the lot of the people,” he emphasized.

Political analysts say NPP’s desperation is borne out of fear of losing the KEEA seat which traditionally is an NDC stronghold. In the 2012 elections, NPP candidate, Dr Ato Arthur secured 22,151 votes representing 38.16 percent and managed to pick the seat. NDC’s Dr Ato Quarshie who stood as an independent candidate had 15,561 votes or 26.1 % while Dr J S Annan who stood on the party’s ticket won 13,962 representing 24.05 percent.

The new Komenda Sugar Factory is fully state-owned but government says it is considering offering shares to private investors including Ghanaians to ensure efficient management and the sustainability of the project.