By
Robert Anane, GNA
Accra, Sept. 22, GNA – Mr Franklin Cudjoe,
President of Policy Think-Tank-IMANI-Africa, says political leaders should be
able to come up with tangible plans that could be scrutinised.
He said this at a forum to discuss a
publication entitled: “The Primary Contenders”-Analyses of the 2018 NDC
Presidential Primaries and Candidates”.
The publication written by Dr Etse Sikanku, a
political analyst, lecturer and talk show host, seeks to help entrench the
nation’s democracy, by focusing on the National Democratic Congress’s
presidential primaries.
Touching on the presidential candidates for
the NDC primaries, Mr Cudjoe said “there are keen leadership qualities in all
of them and what counted more was their ability to make accurate estimations
and come up with equally suitable solutions.
Professor Yaw Gyampo, Research Fellow with the
Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG), said candidates should not make the
mistake of assuming that their popularity would necessarily win them votes.
“Go beyond media support or popularity to work
out your votes. Popularity does not necessarily mean acceptance,” he said.
Prof Gyampo also said it is important that the
aspirants sought clearance with respect to any issues bordering on the
country’s constitutional provisions that could impede their quest.
Dr Kobby Mensah, expert in political marketing
in Africa and a Lecturer at the University of Ghana, said it is important to
ensure that elections at the primaries level was determined by the entire
citizenry and not the way it is currently being done.
He said this was because the democratic
process needed the participation of the general public.
Mr Paul Adom Otchere, seasoned political
journalist and social analyst, said the major challenge that the country
currently faced was the inability to adequately deliver social services to the
people.
He said there is the need for presidential
aspirants and politicians to bear this in mind because fulfilling that need was
a major requirement for the further consolidation of our democracy.
GNA