A frontrunner for the National Vice-Chairmanship position in the upcoming New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Executive elections, Fred Kwaku Amankwah-Sarfo strongly believes there are certain elements within the elephant fraternity working to derail his chances.
According to him, his boldness to have opted to contest for the position came as a surprise to many so therefore they are doing whatever it takes to “pull him down”.
“A relatively young and relatively unknown member of the party, some are surprised by my “boldness” in attempting to challenge the status quo in a party where the unwritten rule is to follow a traditional path in aspiring into leadership positions” he said.
Fred Kwaku Amankwah-Sarfo, together with Hajia Fatima, and Philomena Serwah Akoto (who were all vying for Vice-Chairmanship positions), Kamal Abdulai (contesting for Nasara Coordinator) and a fifth person who has not been named, were disqualified by the party’s Vetting Committee and have until Monday, February 17, 2014, to appeal against the decision.
Undeterred by the VC’s decision, the aspirant, in a statement exclusively sent to Peacefmonline.com, revealed that he has put in an appeal to request for the rescindment of his disqualification and remains resolute that a positive response would be received.
Amankwah-Sarfo said he considers this initial challenge as just a stepping stone to achieving his political ambition.
“As I pursue this noble objective, the challenges and obstacles would surface at every turn. I am not oblivious of the magnitude of responsibilities required to ensure success…These challenges would build a ladder that will help me to climb out of obscurity and fly out to win the mandate of our delegates to occupy the high of the Vice Chairmanship position of our great party,” the aspirant said.
Below is the unedited statement…
ON MY HUMBLE MIND: CHALLENGES & OBSTACLES WOULD EXIST AS I SEEK TO BECOME THE NEXT VICE CHAIRPERSON OF THE NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY”.
My humble vision to become the next Vice Chairman of our party, the New Patriotic Party has seen some few challenges and obstacles.
A relatively young and relatively unknown member of the party, some are surprised by my “boldness” in attempting to challenge the status quo in a party where the unwritten rule is to follow a traditional path in aspiring into leadership positions.
I come on board to join a team of dedicated National Executive Officers with some few humble core competences, skills and knowledge needed to put in place systems, structures, procedures and processes which would all work together in harmony to help our party receive the empathy and mandate of Ghanaians to win election 2016.
As I pursue this noble objective, the challenges and obstacles would surface at every turn. I am not oblivious of the magnitude of responsibilities required to ensure success.
To procure an efficient campaigning strategy, travel time across the length and breadth of Ghana, the emotional and financial demands, the human resources are needed to get the message and vision we have for the party to our delegates are huge.
My three tier approaches to winning election 2016 are Unity in our diversity, Effective political communications and the implementation of an efficient strategic management plan.
Whilst I work diligently to achieve this noble vision for our party and Ghana, I am not oblivious of the many challenges and obstacles I may have to overcome. It is a fact of life that there will be losses, disappointments, and roadblocks before any great vision is attained.
Often, I may be challenged by issues that I would not have control over. But it is challenges that make life what it is. It is challenges that make life interesting and rewarding. Without experiencing any challenges, one may become bored, and stagnate.
How one handles challenges and obstacles determine how what rewards one gets there from. In virtually every challenge lies great opportunity to grow. You attract more of whatever you choose to focus on. Knowing this, I choose to focus on the positives in every situation.
When a ‘negative’ event happens, we all have two choices: Focusing on the negatives and continue to allow your happiness to be determined by external events or focusing on the positives and recognize that, very challenge is an opportunity in disguise.
I cannot always control the outcome of events that affects my vision but I can always control and choose my response style and methodology.
As the results of the vetting committee were release, I received very conflicting reports of my disqualification from members of the committee.
Finally, last night I received an official letter through my email indicating that my candidature as an Aspiring National Vice Chairman of the party has been disqualified because of my “inability to exhibit enough knowledge of the party which high office, you are seeking to occupy”.
I have put in an appeal to request for the rescindment of my disqualification and I am resolute that a positive response would be received.
At the vetting committee’s hearing, the panel sort to know my familiarity of members of the National Council of Elders of our party which I answered in the negative. No other questions (s) about my knowledge of the party’s history and/or vision were asked.
It is my humble and considered view that the reason given for my disqualification as stated in the letter is not an offence against our party’s or Ghana’s constitution to warrant a disqualification.
I would continue to focus only on the positives for our party, the N.P.P and believe that what has happened is a great the opportunity for the party and Ghana to discover core competences and value addition I bring onto the political space..
These challenges would build a ladder that will help me to climb out of obscurity and fly out to win the mandate of our delegates to occupy the high of the Vice Chairmanship position of our great party.
One day I will look back and see how far I came, and how ‘little’ those previous challenges would have become.
Challenges and obstacles indicate that our comfort zone is expanding and that is growth and development.