Doctor Paa Kwesi Nduom, flagbearer of the rejuvenated Convention People’s Party (CPP) has thrown a challenge to his colleague flagbearers in the other parties to demonstrate their preparedness to face him in the “campaign of ideas” in the forthcoming elections.
The other flagbearers being challenged are New Patriotic Party’s (NPP’s) Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo; National Democratic Congress’ (NDC’s) Prof. John Evans Atta Mills and Dr. Edward Mahama of the People’s National Convention (PNC).According to Dr. Nduom, none of the flagbearers had responded to the challenge he threw to them, saying he was not comfortable with the seeming silence and that it was taking the presidential candidates too long to ‘gird their loins’ to join the challenge of wits.
The CPP presidential candidate was addressing the press at his Avenor Junction campaign office in Accra to push forward his third campaign idea dubbed “National Museums and Monuments or an appropriate national institution to honour the memory and contributions made by our past Presidents and Prime Ministers”. He stated that when he becomes president, he would build monuments which would be tailored along what is being done in the United States of America (USA) where past American Presidents have been honoured by the US National Archives with libraries and museums.
“I will propose the appropriate legislation that will ensure that the state funds Presidential Libraries. These libraries will be the repositories of the papers, records and historical materials of our past Presidents and Prime Ministers.“They will be designed as places for school children and scholars to learn about our past leaders and those events that changed our lives and shaped out nation,” he indicated. He believed that apart from honouring such past leaders, the Presidential Libraries would provide relevant information for local and international tourists.
The libraries would be equipped with artifacts, photographs, videos/films and other documentaries on the activities of each of the Presidents while in office. To pursue this agenda, Dr. Nduom wished to place before Parliament, a Presidential Libraries Act for consideration which when passed would give legal backing to the initiative. “The Act will task the state to find the resources from both public and private sources to build and maintain these libraries,” he emphasized.
Some of the past Presidents and Prime Ministers to be honoured are Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia, President Edward Akufo-Addo, President Dr. Hilla Limann, President Jerry John Rawlings and President John Agyekum Kufuor. “Also, it is important to note that I will open the doors of the Flagstaff House to President Rawlings and his spouse, President Kufuor and his spouse, Mrs. Naa Morkor Busia, Mrs. Fulera Limann, Vice President Atta Mills and his spouse and Vice President Aliu Mahama and his spouse for formal and informal events. “I will do this along with other things to ensure the country becomes more united and less polarized than it is now. We need everyone’s experience and goodwill to build a free and prosperous country,” he mentioned.
At the meeting were executive members of the CPP like Igor Greentstreet, General Secretary; Mike Eghan, National Treasurer; Felix Amoah, Chairman, National Campaign Team Manager; David Ampofo, Political Strategist; Richmond Lamptey, Head of the campaign office and Richmond Kelson, Communications Director.
Source: PFM
