This is the first time NPP is presenting weak candidates – Prof Mensah

A Political Marketing Strategist, Prof Kobby Mensah, has stated that the governing New Patriotic Party does not have strong personalities going into election 2024, considering that two out of the four under-performed in their various roles as members of the current government.

Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, Prof Mensah noted that the duo, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and former Food and Agriculture Minister, Dr Afriyie Akoto, who are currently seeking to represent the NPP in the 2024 general election have tainted their images politically due to their abysmal performance while in office.

Prof Mensah, known for his keen insights into political strategies, expressed doubt about the two contenders’ abilities to lead the nation effectively and suggested that the party was, “for the first time, presenting very weak candidates.”

One of the key areas of concern for Prof Mensah was the state of economic management under the NPP with Dr Bawumia at the helm of affairs for the Economic Management Team.

“Economic management has been in shambles, and I’m surprised that they are trying to tout Dr. Bawumia’s credentials.”

The Political Strategist further criticized Dr. Bawumia for his deafening silence on economic matters since the country’s financial crisis began, noting, “I have never heard him [Dr. Bawumia] speak about the economy since the economy started plummeting.”

“Let us be frank, whenever they have spoken, they’ve attributed our economic woes to Ukraine and Covid-19 but everybody knows that they have mismanaged the economy,” he told host Evans Mensah on Wednesday.

Turning his attention to Dr Afryie Akoto, Prof Mensah questioned the performance of the Food and Agriculture Ministry during his tenure.

He specifically cited the “Planting for Food and Jobs” program, saying the initiative was in “shambles.”

Prof Mensah criticized the strategies employed during the Minister’s tenure, characterizing them as “knee-jerk”, suggesting that they failed to yield significant results.

But speaking on the show, a former National Organiser of the governing NPP, Sammy Awuku, vehemently opposed Prof Mensah’s description of the party’s presidential aspirants, saying the NDC had worse aspiring presidential candidates during their primary, and yet Prof Mensah did not make such statements about them.

In his response, Mr Awuku highlighted the qualifications attained by the two contenders and believed that when given the mandate they would deliver accordingly.

The governing party is preparing to select its flagbearer this weekend. Delegates are to decide whether the Vice President, Dr. Afriyie Akoto, Kennedy Agyapong, and Francis Addai-Nimoh will be on the ticket of the party in 2024.