Alan Kyerematen may not be the next president of Ghana, but he is certainly a man who deserves respect and recognition for his achievements and contributions to the nation.
He is a man who has made a difference in the lives of many people, and who has inspired many others to follow his example, including myself – Mensah Maxwell. This is not Politics; Truth must be told. He is a man who has left a legacy of integrity and professionalism that will endure for generations to come.
Alan Kyerematen, a former Minister of Trade and Industry, and a leading aspirant for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential nomination, has announced his withdrawal from the race, citing irregularities and intimidation in the special delegates conference held on September 4, 2023.
His decision has been met with mixed reactions from the public and the party faithful, with some praising him for his courage and principle, and others criticizing him for his lack of loyalty and commitment.
However, a closer look at his reasons for withdrawing, and his achievements in his political and professional career, reveals that Alan Kyerematen is a man of integrity and professionalism, who has always put the interest of the party and the nation above his personal ambition.
Reasons for Withdrawing
Alan Kyerematen stated in his letter of withdrawal that he had observed several anomalies in the conduct of the special delegates conference, which was meant to reduce the number of aspirants from 17 to five.
He claimed that the process was strategically and tactically skewed in favour of one particular aspirant, who had allegedly used his influence and resources to manipulate the outcome.
He also alleged that there was a level of intimidation of varying intensity, directly and indirectly, unleashed on a significant number of delegates at various voting centres across the sixteen regions.
He lamented that his polling agent in the North East region suffered severe damage to his eyesight, arising from his effort to ensure compliance with the rules and regulations for the conduct of the elections.
He expressed his doubt that the circumstances he referred to earlier, will not persist or even be escalated in the next round of elections, for which balloting is scheduled for Wednesday, 6th of September 2023.
By withdrawing from the contest, Alan Kyerematen showed integrity by standing up for his principles and values and refusing to participate in a process that he believed was unfair and undemocratic.
He also showed professionalism by respecting the decision of the special delegates, and honourably withdrawing from the contest without causing any further division or acrimony within the party. He showed leadership by putting the interest of the party and the nation above his personal ambition and pledging his support to whoever emerges as the flagbearer of the NPP.
Achievements in Career
Alan Kyerematen is not a novice in politics or public service. He has a rich and diverse experience in various fields, such as diplomacy, trade, industry, entrepreneurship, and development. Some of his achievements are:
He served as the Minister of Trade and Industry from 2017 to 2023, where he led the design and implementation of innovative programmes and special initiatives that created new pillars of growth for the Ghanaian economy. Some of these programmes include: One District One Factory (1D1F), National Industrial Revitalisation Programme (NIRP), Strategic Anchor Industries Initiative (SAII), Ghana Automotive Development Policy (GADP), Ghana Commodity Exchange (GCX), Ghana Export-Import Bank (GEXIM), Ghana International Trade Commission (GITC), National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), Presidential Business Support Programme (PBSP), Presidential Empowerment for Women Entrepreneurs with Disability (PEWED), Presidential Pitch Programme (PPP), among others.
He was Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States from 2001 to 2003, where he negotiated various trade and investment agreements between Ghana and the US, and initiated the establishment of the Ghana-US Economic Council. He also facilitated Ghana’s access to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which enabled Ghanaian exporters to enjoy duty-free access to the US market.
He was the first Regional Director of Enterprise Africa, a UNDP initiative for the development and promotion of small and medium enterprises in 13 sub-Saharan African countries. He also served as a Senior Advisor on Private Sector Development to former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
He was nominated by Ghana and endorsed by the African Union for the post of WTO Director-General in 2012, although he did not make the final shortlist. He played a key role in shaping Africa’s trade policy agenda in the WTO multilateral negotiations and the EU-ACP Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations, as well as in hosting major international trade events such as UNCTAD XII and the Sixth US-Africa Summit in Ghana.
He was a senior corporate executive at Unilever International in Ghana, where he became a junior manager at age 22. He also founded several businesses in various sectors such as manufacturing, agro-processing, consulting, and media, among others.
These achievements demonstrate that Alan Kyerematen is a man of professionalism who has excelled in his chosen fields of endeavour and has contributed significantly to the development of Ghana and Africa. He is also a man of integrity who has always upheld the highest standards of ethics and accountability in his public and private roles.
Conclusion
Alan Kyerematen’s withdrawal from the NPP presidential contest may have disappointed some of his supporters and admirers, but it has also revealed his true character as a man of integrity and professionalism. He has shown that he is not driven by selfish motives but by a genuine desire to serve his party and his country. He has also shown that he is not afraid to speak the truth, even if it is unpopular or inconvenient. He has proven that he is a leader who can make difficult decisions, and take responsibility for them. He has also proven that he is a team player who can work with others for a common goal.
I will end with the same statement that, Alan Kyerematen may not be the next president of Ghana, but he is certainly a man who deserves respect and recognition for his achievements and contributions to the nation. He is a man who has made a difference in the lives of many people, and who has inspired many others to follow his example. He is a man who has left a legacy of integrity and professionalism that will endure for generations to come.
By: Mensah Maxwell -mensahm1815@gmail.com
