Shun personality talk

—Kufuor tells NPP members

STORY: FROM JAMES APPIAKORANG JNR., KUMASI

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has admonished members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to shun what he describes as ‘personality talk’ within the party and rather work for the larger interest of the party.

He said the well-being of the NPP should supersede any individual interests within the party. He therefore vouched not support anybody who would not stand for the party but for himself or herself, even if that person is his relative.

“As I stand here today, if I talk about only myself, reject me. Even if it is my brother or anybody reject him,” he cautioned.

Speaking at the national delegates’ conference of the party in Kumasi, the former president noted that it was shameful that the party allowed complacency, overconfidence and ‘self talk’ to take their better side. These factors, according to him, contributed immensely to the party’s electoral defeat in 2008.

He insisted that with the numerous successes chalked by his administration during his eight years tenure, Ghanaians were given a taste of real life, adding that should not have led to the party’s loss.

“I don’t blame anybody, but ourselves the emergence of pro-Kufuor camp, Nana Addo camp and so on cost us our victory. We forgot that the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition is well noted for our deep rooted democracy,” he pointed out.

He urged delegates not to vote for someone because he/she was rich but vote for people who were competent, affable, good communicators and above all people who could get more votes for the party during elections.

According to Mr Kufuor, the people of Ghana were crying to the NPP to come back to power to rekindle the hope and confidence they brought to the average Ghanaian.

But, he said they could not win power if genuine persons were not elected and “once the party elects a genuine candidate, Kufuor will be in the forefront and we shall all work for victory in 2012,” he said.

He entreated all party members to work together since in unity their opponents could not match them in anyway.

He said all well-meaning members of the party should accept that in the interest of mother Ghana and the party.

He also tasked them to always be transparent in their duties to erase any doubts of a candidate’s victory or loss.

The former National Chairman, Peter Mac Manu, in his welcome address advised members to endeavour to use the party’s internal mechanism to resolve matters and refrain from always going to the media at the slightest misunderstanding.