Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen aka Alan Cash, a former Minister for Trade and Industry, says Ghana could get $3 billion from the Western Region alone, looking at its vast natural resources, instead of going for the same money from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
“There is a difference between a change and transformation. Since 1957, Ghana has been to [the] IMF 17 times. As I speak, we have an application before [the] IMF for a $3 billion bailout. Western Region alone is endowed with so many natural resources, and the question is: can’t we get $3 billion only from the WR?” he asked.
To Alan Cash, it had come to a point where “we must have a sober reflection on how we move the country forward.”
He was speaking in a meeting with the Western Regional House of Chiefs in Sekondi yesterday, to begin his campaign tour of the region.
The aspiring flag bearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) also told the chiefs that Ghana needed a new leader, who would reconcile the nation, considering the polarised nature of our politics.
“We need a leader who will reconcile the nation, because, without unity there cannot be development. We need a leader we can trust, and I am sacrificing myself to bring this country to a common objective and destiny. So that we can come together, irrespective of the political party in power; we can, with unity, push Ghana forward,” Mr. Alan Kyerematen said.
The aspiring flagbearer also used the meeting to formally apprise the chiefs that he would be contesting the flagbearer slot of the ruling party, given that the sitting president and leader of the ruling party, per constitutional dictates, would end his two term of office soon. For this reason, he was availing himself to contest as the next flagbearer of the NPP.
“I know you are not delegates and do not vote, but you can convince our delegates to vote in the right direction,” he said.
Touching on the role chiefs played in governance, Alan Cash pointed out: “We cannot have a proper decentralised system of government without incorporating the big role of chiefs.”
He said, with either judicial or adjudicating responsibility, “We cannot take out the role of chiefs”.
The aspiring flagbearer seized the opportunity to explain his Great Transformational Plan to the chiefs.
The Great Transformational Plan, he said, would be a government of national unity and has ten thematic areas he would focus to develop Ghana if he was given the nod.
He also laid bare his vision for the Western Region, which included domesticating the gold industry for the needed impact, oil and gas industry, and manufacturing amongst others.
Awulae Agyefi Kwame II, Omanhene of Nsein, who spoke on behalf of the House, praised the aspirant for demonstrating what he described as good character. “You have demonstrated a character that you will not leave out chiefs in your government, and I pray your dream comes to pass.”
Agyefi Kwame used the occasion to lash out at the non-Cabinet representation in the ruling government, most particularly, from the Western Region. A Cabinet, he said, should be a regional balance, but that could not be said of the ruling government. “After giving him four more years, he left Western Region out of his Cabinet”.
Mr. Kyerematen was accompanied on his tour by Nana Owusu Ankomah, a former Western Regional Chairman of the NPP, Gifty Klenam, a former Member of Parliament (MP), Philip Longdon, Nana Prempeh, Grace Ashly, Hopeson Adorye, and Yaw Buabeng Asamoah amongst many others.
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