Maxwell Okamafo Addo: Dr Dufour has become a headache, bellyache and heartache for JM's committee of friends

“This is not an inheritance; it is about Ghana – Ghana is the commonwealth of all Ghanaians’. It is not a traditional title that we are seeking, the office we are seeking is to make an improvement for all Ghanaians’. Running for office is not an ambition; I’ve always maintained that it is service, it is sacrifice, it is duty. “This is not a personal contest; this is about Ghana, the future of our children. It is about competing visions of what that future holds for Ghanaians’.”

Let’s stop apportioning the blame game and fix the NDC by applying the corrective measures.

I had resisted the temptation of writing for several reasons, if not many reasons. But posterity would judge me if I don’t respond to some NDC members and those spurious polls by the so-called academic magicians in Ghana after the NDC has lost the 2020 elections, especially those who think that Dr Kwabena Dufour should not contest Former President Mahama, so have started the hate Campaign against him.

Rather than initiating practical and pragmatic policies to drive their change agenda in the NDC, like the AHOTOR project that Dr Kwabena Dufour has started and is gaining ground, it has become headaches, bellyaches and heartaches for some so-called “Leading “members of the JM camp. What is wrong if Dr Dufour decides to help constituencies nationwide with Chairs , Tables, canopies and Sound Systems to use for party work?

As a people, we are adept at passing the buck and blaming others for our failures. We hardly own up to our misdeeds or take responsibility for our actions and inactions. We see the faults always in our stars and never in ourselves. “He,” “she,” “they” or “them” caused it and never “I,” “me,” “we” or “us” that caused it. When it is convenient, we even blame God, the ancestors, the elemental beings and any other thing but ourselves.

Spewing out lies about Dr Kwabena Dufour that he’s even working for the NPP, such rubbish. All because he wants to contest the Flagbearer position of the NDC. Why? Is the NDC someone’s personal property? Is it for JDM?

One factor that has led to the collapse of many societies throughout history is internal decay brought about by inept and visionless leadership. That is what is happening in the NDC now. Who is the Leader of the Party? Chairman Ofosu Ampofo or Ex-President John Mahama? The Chairman of the party currently looks clueless. Is John Mahama a Candidate? Has he announced that he is contesting again? And that the NDC should allow him to lead for one term. Ahhhh May be the new executives and delegates will decide.

Is it not true that the middle name of the NDC is Democratic? The pages of history are littered with examples of societies whose final descent into perdition was preceded by unprecedented internal rot. Regional Executives whose term of office will expire soon want to do an Acclamation. Try and see.

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This type of bullying attitude is usually sustained by a corps of lackadaisical and moronic people that made a vocation of blaming others for the rot of society without as much seeing in their own lethargy, ineptitude and lack of foresight as significant contributory factors for that collapse. This is the product of the nemesis called “blame game” syndrome in leadership. Dr Kwabena Dufour didn’t help the NDC and rather supported the NPP. Lies! Such blatant lies!

Blame game syndrome is as old as the history of creation. It has always been the stock-in-trade for those who fail. Those who fail in their assignments must always find a scapegoat for their failures. Such blame game syndrome has always been the hallmark of inept leaders. Lacking vision and the initiative to elevate their thinking to glorious levels, and also of what should be done to transform society; a typical scenario of a bad workman quarreling with his tools, such leaders invariably lead their societies into destruction. What is John Mahama coming to do in one Term? What didn’t he finish? I have often spoken about the guilt of collective amnesia as symptomatic of leadership in Ghana. Like the NDC they have formed the nauseating habit of passing the buck and blaming others for our failures. Very seldomly do we own up to their mistakes and or take responsibility for our actions and inactions. We blame the elements for our woes; it is always he/she, they/them that caused our problems; and it is never us or we. I have heard many even blame God.

Those with the glorification of illusional popularity in Ghana like Choreography of dancers dancing to nowhere. Like John Mahama will win Dr Duffour so he should allow JDM to go unopposed. Even President Mills was contested whilst he was a sitting president in his own party. Why should JDM not be contested?

I started this piece with a different title in mind but changed it because I believe that despite the distractions in the face of severe provocation, Dr Kwabena Dufour has allowed political maturity to prevail. He has a genuine record of accomplishments as a Ghanaian. His works are a public record and they speaks for themselves.

Dr. Kwabena DuffuorI have always said when it comes to choosing a Presidential Candidate, whether in politics or business, the essentials extend well beyond charisma, connections and political leverage. The fundamental elements are trust, loyalty and complementary skills and qualities.

The NDC lost the reality of what their opponent was doing. They went for a target and they got their target, which was too narrow. The closing picture of the campaign was an image of Mahama sharing a stage with two presidents. The message was about continuity, not change. It was about Nana Addo was too old. Consistently.

My hope is that the Akufo-Addo victory will be a lesson to progressives that the NDC fought NPP tooth and nail, for social, economic and infrastructural progress that the NPP tried to obstruct in every way. Progressives took the NDC’s victories for granted and failed to live up to their end of the bargain at the polls.

Those pointing accusing fingers at age and other progressives shouldn’t look back at December 7, 2016, and December 2020 and ask how did conservatives deliver the presidency to the worst person the NPP had to offer. The protesters should look back at least on the last 2 years and ask themselves, how did we allow ourselves to get so comfortable that we failed to deliver the presidency to the best person that the NDC had to offer.

The intra-party insults, accusations and insults are not helping anyone and the earlier those doing that together with their surrogates learn this lesson, the better it will be for them and the NDC as a progressive party.

Dr Kwabena Dufour is bringing on board Competence and not Sentiments –And reminds everyone else of a national ethic of accountability.

As a former Finance Minister, he has proved himself as a patriot and nationalistic; but for better governance and the development of the country. Someone the people trust “absolutely, completely.” This he did by complementing the efforts of late Rawlings and President Mills through good fiscal discipline and better monetary policies in governance and development.

Society set certain standards by which people are measured, and it is the conviction of every Ghanaian that if the nation cannot bequeath to Ghanaians and our children−the future leaders−anything at all, it must at least bequeath to them as a people, a leader with a high sense of morality and uprightness and humility like what Dr Kwabena Dufour represents as he has started in the party. If a country is to progress we have to transform the economy, to create jobs for its teeming youth.

Sometimes I wonder if we have very serious academic researchers in the party as we seem to believe. Whenever I hear some lazy party members saying allow JDM to go unopposed, I laugh- especially those who are championing that cause.

The NDC is looking for a humble selfless, truly confident intelligent, non-corrupt God-fearing President who will be working and focused. With a strong record of ethics and government integrity, Dr Dufour has an impeccable, unimpeachable conscience– Someone Ghanaians know of. His humility and meekness are very important. The greatest among his amiable qualities are his humbleness and meekness. This man indeed has been a mentor of all who wishes to attain greatness.

Dr Kwabena Dufour has proven to Ghanaians that politics can be played without rivalry and enmity. This he has proven by responding to critics of the government by educating them on national issues. A high economic and financial acumen: as an individual who held the post of Governor of the Central Bank of Ghana/Finance minister one of the longest periods of stability for our currency since independence. Political level-heads who matter in this country know his political experience… He proved himself worthy and loyal to the NDC party.

There is an adage in Akan which says; AKOKO ANTWIWAA BESA ABU NE PA DWE DWE SENARA A ENNYE AKROMA FE DA,” to wit, “no matter how beautifully the hen will dance, it will never please the hawk”. Why? Because the hawk just doesn’t like the hen and wants to eat it. I shall be back.