PAUL AFOKO; Is He Becoming a Political Superstar?

Suspended NPP Chairman Paul Afoko: Photo credit Daily Graphic

By Ekow Mensah

Mr Paul Afoko, the suspended New Patriotic Party (NPP) chairman has become different things to different people and interest groups.

Members of the Akufo –Addo faction of the party clearly sees him as a spoiler determined to wreck the chances of their leader from becoming the President of the Republic.

 As far as Afoko’s supporters in the NPP are concerned, the man is a principled party faithful struggling to uphold the constitution of the party and the broad principles of accountability.

Interestingly, Paul Afoko is no longer just an NPP personality and is being discussed in all political circles both in and out of Ghana.

Only two weeks ago, some young people in the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) expressed surprise that the NPP has failed to appreciate the value of Paul Afoko in the 2016 elections.

They invited him to join the PPP’s effort to wrestle power from what they described as the incompetent hands of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

 Surprisingly, NDC serial callers have also been urging Mr Paul Afoko to abandon the NPP and set camp in their midst.

 They describe Mr Afoko as a seasoned politician who has a lot to contribute to nation building.

A texter to Radio Gold simply wrote “The NPP does not deserve Paul Afoko. He is too principled for them. He should join the NDC, the winning team”.

There are credible reports that some individuals within the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) and the Peoples National Convention (PNC) are also playing with the idea of inviting Mr Afoko to Join hands with them.

It is believed that Mr Paul Afoko is very resourceful and that his presence in any of the  so called small parties can change their fortunes in the 2016 elections.

 Before his suspension Mr Afoko had promised to give the NPP 250 pickups from his personal resources.

It is also just possible that a large part of his supporters in the in the NPP will leave with him if he decides to join another political party.

Perhaps Mr Paul Afoko is on his way to achieving superstar status in Ghanaian politics.

Editorial

STRAIGHTEN UP WITH THE PUBLIC

The arrival of the 225 megawatts power barge in the country potentially means the country has more means at its disposal in facing up to the current energy crisis.

This in itself is good news but many people are holding their breath because there is a lot of information we do not have.

We know that for the barge to be operational we will be asked to pay more for electricity. 

How much more is not that clear because various individuals are suggesting different figures.

Related to this is the cost to Ghana of having the barge. Beside purchasing fuel to run the page, we also have to pay other charges including rental.

As things stand, most people are anxious for an end, if not, a dramatic reduction in the power rationing regime. This does not mean, however any price at all will find easy acceptance by the public.

At the same time, we need to ensure that the steps taken to address the power crisis do not end up leaving us with debts which have the potential of crippling the economy.

The options may not be that many of the government, but we believe that a genuine search for solutions can yield an acceptable way out. 

In the meanwhile we call on those in charge to be open with the people  and provide clear and comprehensive information about what our energy situation is going to look like in the short, medium and long-term.