Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Tema East Constituency, Mr. Ishmael Ashitey, has revealed that he has done all the necessary underground works which will enable him win the position of the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the party.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with TODAY at his residence in Tema, the three times MP for Tema East Constituency said he would win the Greater Accra NPP Chairmanship position because he was the obvious choice and could be compared to none.
“I am the only candidate who can lead the NPP to recapture power from the ruling National Democratic Congress—this is because I know what to do and what it takes to win elections,” noted Mr. Ashitey.
He said the NPP lost 9 seats in the Greater Accra Region during last year’s parliamentary elections and he was the only one who could use his rich experience to canvass for more votes to win those seats back for the party in 2012.
“I have done it before; I won elections at the constituency level for 3 times for the NPP—1996, 2000, and 2004,” he recounted.
This, he pointed out, is no mean achievement at all and when given the mantle he would unleash his secret winning formula in 2012 when the main opposition NPP comes face-to-face with the NDC.
“All the delegates have confidence in me and they know that I will perform when given the nod,” he assured.
Mr. Ashitey continued…“I have campaigned and done what I need to do; I have also done some intensive ground checks and I can state emphatically that I am winning.”
Mr Ashitey, who is not noted for the noisy type of politics, told this paper that he had remained silent all this while because he was studying the ground to come out with a strong winning formula.
“I am glad to work with very hardworking and committed campaign team of young men and women who are always with the foot soldiers and delegates convincing them to vote for me,” disclosed Mr Ashitey.
His main contenders for the Greater Accra Regional NPP Chairmanship are Mr Ayikoi Otoo and Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe.
Touching on the first year of President John Atta Mills’ led NDC government, Mr Ashitey observed that the first year of the NDC has been nothing but hell.
“I am sure by now Ghanaians will be weeping for themselves for voting the NDC into power. We told them during last year’s general elections that these people have nothing to offer them— but they went ahead and gave ears to their lies and voted them into power,” he said.
He cautioned Ghanaians against any decision to vote for the NDC again in 2012, stressing that “this is just part one of the NDC’s bad governance.
Mr Ashitey also warned the NPP against the Alan Kyeremanten and Akufo-Addo factions that is creating a whole lot of divisions in the party.
He urged all NPP loyalists and supporters to be united for the party to be extra formidable for the 2012 elections as they look forward for a resounding recapture of political power from NDC.
Mr Ishmael Ashitey, it would be recalled, served as a Minister for Fisheries, and also served as a Minister for Trade and Industry in the erstwhile NPP government under ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor.
Under his term as MP, he undertook a lot of development projects from his share of the MPs common fund.
Some of these projects included the Youth Training Centre in Tema, the Post Office, comfortable places of convenience, rehabilitation of schools, canteens and the provision of dual desks for a number of schools.
BY WILLIAM BEEKO
