His key objective is to bring to the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) his unique abilities to pull everyone to the centre to win political power in 2016.
The incumbent 1st Vice National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Fred Oware, who hails from Mankessim in the Central Region, is contesting the national chairmanship of the NPP at their Tamale Congress scheduled for April 12, 2014.
Currently, he believes that firm leadership, strategic planning, timely implementation of plans, use of intelligence and party cohesion and unity are issues that need an experienced and fair-minded person like him to attend to.
This, he explained, would mean strengthening, energising and resourcing the entire party structure, particularly at the constituency and polling station levels, to function effectively.
Experiences
What is he bringing on board? Mr Oware, who became a member of the NPP two decades ago, has occupied the 1st Vice national chairman position of the party for four years. He has a background in finance, having worked with Merchant Bank for a considerable period. Mr Oware owns Choice FM, an Accra-based radio station.
His media outfit was ordered not to broadcast a political current affairs programme, ‘Ghana Speaks’.
Promotional adverts for ‘Ghana Speaks’ had already started running on air when, according to the station, it was warned that it would be “broadcasting the programme at the risk of the host losing his life and the station running into problems.”
He was also the chief executive officer of the Bui Hydro Energy Development Project, and is perceived as a close friend of former President John Agyekum Kufuor.
He is inspired by the ideal of the NPP and its founder members, which is “ Development in Freedom.”
Mr Oware argues that the party’s maxim of “Development in Freedom,” based on the principles of rule of law, personal freedoms, free market operation and strong family values, has proven that it is best for any country to inspire its people to work and improve themselves.
He told the Daily Graphic recently that his experiences and contacts made in the electoral system are too valuable to allow them to go to waste,” hence his resolve to contest the national chairmanship of the party so as to contribute positively to the party’s well-being and progress.
For the past two decades, Mr Oware has been contributing at the background, in cash and kind, to the NPP coffers.
He told the Daily Graphic that he had actively raised resources and logistics for the party, having travelled to every corner of the country pursuing the party’s interest.
On what he is bringing to the fortunes of the party, Mr Oware told the Daily Graphic: “I bring to the NPP a pair of safe, mature and experienced hands that everyone can trust. I am open and shall give access and hearing to the grass roots but will continue to be firm in the interest of the party. I am from and for the private sector, and I am ready to work with our development partners. I am the purposeful manager who understands that together we all must manage the grass roots to win general elections.”
NPP’s agenda
In his view, the business of the NPP is to win general elections and thus bring real development to the people of Ghana.
He said that required a trusted leadership.
Accordingly, he has invited the delegates and party members at all levels to buy into his vision of truly uniting the party for victory in 2016 by endorsing him as party chairman.
According to Mr Oware, he is in the race to make the NPP win the 2016 general election and bring real development to Ghanaians.
Key message
He is confident he will win against his other contenders, explaining that he has three key messages for the delegates of the NPP — assessing the party and the way forward; wresting power from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC); and making members of the NPP trust him to deliver for the party.
Apart from incumbent national chairman Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey, Fred Oware faces stiff opposition from business mogul Paul Afoko and two-time aspiring national chairman, Stephen Ntim.