NDC Flagbearership Race: I Am Credible Alternative – Sly

Sylvester Adinam Mensah, a former Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says he is a credible alternative for the party’s choice of presidential candidate.

He believes he towers above the array of persons vying for the flagbearership slot of the party in the lead-up to the 2020 polls.

According to the La-Dadekotopon former Member of Parliament (MP), he would not rest on his oars as the flagbearer of the NDC to rescue Ghanaians from what he describes as the ‘throes of bad governance, economic mismanagement, crippling nepotism and cronyism, brazen corruption and mismanagement” that had bedeviled the Nana Addo administration.

The former NHIA CEO is battling the seat with 10 others including Alban Bagbin, MP for Ndwoli Kaleo, Professor Joshua Alabi former Rector of IPSA, Kweku Ricketts–Hagan, MP, Cape Coast South Constituency with Kojo Bonsu a former mayor of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly being the latest entrant.

But Mr. Mensah, speaking in an exclusive interview with THE PUBLISHER in Accra on a wide range of issues stated “The moment I decided to contest for the leadership of the party, I presented myself as the credible alternative who can bring victory to our party, comrades and Ghana as a whole.”

He continued: “This is the beauty of the democracy which we as a people have chosen to be governed by, where citizens are given the opportunity to decide who will serve the purpose best.”

He further stated: “I want to serve and not be served; I want to work and not to be worshiped; I want a Ghana where leaders are voted for because they understand the needs of their people and can help them deliver group goals”.

The former La-Dadekotopon MP insists that with all his qualities of being able to mobilize for positive change, a unifier, and as someone who truly understands how to drive the party and country forward, there is no reason why party delegates would not choose him over the rest.

Mr. Mensah however, did not appear so enthused over ideas of compromise candidates emerging within the ranks of the party wondered what the NDC seeks to compromise.

“…Political parties also serve as incubators for nurturing democratic values or inner party democracy through competitive internal elections. Besides what is one seeking to compromise? – Principles? Values? Standards? Expectations? All the above? If all these factors are vital for determining who is most suitable to represent the party for a particular election, then the party really cannot afford to entertain any notion of ‘compromise candidate.”

The former NHIA boss argued that the choice between competitive selection on one hand and relying on compromises and consensus building on the other must always be weighed against popular demand, expectations and anxieties of the rank and file as well as what best serves the collective good of the party.

“Where the party is poised for competitive selection, it is often the case that compromises and consensus building may fail. Good leadership assess the mood of the party for the most useful option to adopt. I have faith in either option as long as it reflects the general mood and pleasure of the party”, Mr. Mensah said.

Touching on the NPP administration, the NDC stalwart indicated that Ghana, is reeling from the results of oversight stupor; from misplaced priorities in government; from the setting of dangerous precedents for our democracy, from progress-sapping indifference and from the abdication of moral leadership.

This she notes results in the retrogression of the nation from the modest developmental gains of the NDC government.

“Reversing this and putting our nation back on the path of progress and development is a job, not a funfair! It is an urgent task which requires the ability to conceptualize, international bench-marking, knowledge and wisdom, circumspection, vision and passion, coupled with the right blend of skills and executive competences that have been sharpened by proven track record of service to our people in party and in government.”

By: Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson