“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” – Unknown.
The above quote might as well relate to the story of Dr. Peter Kofi Boamah Otokunor. ‘OT,’ as he is affectionately called, has become a sensation. And for all the right reasons.
Peter is contesting for the enviable position of General Secretary of the great National Democratic Congress. He’s a well grounded party operative whose rise to the position of General Secretary will excite the rank and file of our party, especially young voters, and give hope to a wider section of our society.
He’s from Ngleshie Alata in James Town, Greater Accra and Juaben in the Ashanti Region. If a young man from James Town and Juabeng can rise to the position of General Secretary of one of the biggest parties in Africa, that is hope to Ayishetu in Dalun Kukuo in Kumbungu, or Esi in a rural area along the coast of Ellembelle or Gomoa.
OT comes to the table with so much that is lacking in his opponents. He doesn’t have any baggage. And he’s not cocky or arrogant. The argument against the candidature of OT is that, he doesn’t have ‘clout’ and needs time to grow. That’s ridiculous. I say to those making this weak argument – even a certain John Boadu was once a General Secretary of a major party and was vital in his party’s victory in the 2016 elections. Peter has more substance and political gravitas than the former NPP scribe.
Yes, Peter has not been a cabinet Minister, but who says being a cabinet Minister is the sine qua non to becoming a good General Secretary? In any event, it’s one thing being a cabinet Minister; it’s another being an effective and successful cabinet Minister. This weekend’s election is about putting our best foot forward. It’s about electing National party officials who can help us win political power and save our country from the crass cluelessness and deep hole we find ourselves in.
Peter Otokunor is young. He turned 39 on 28th November. With youth comes innovation, drive, energy and dynamism. Peter has got it all. He was my colleague at the National Youth Authority and together, we achieved at the NYA what had never been done in the more than forty year history of the state – a new Act (Act 939) that changed the face of the NYA and gave it a guaranteed source of funding. Even in the dying embers of our time in government, Peter had his nose stuck to the grindstone.
He never stopped coming to perform his tasks because we were on our way out of government. He’s very dedicated. You couldn’t say that about Fiifi Kwetey for example. When Fiifi decided he wasn’t seeking re-election as MP, his approach to the job was lukewarm. The record is there in parliament.
Our party needs a General Secretary who would not quit because “foot-soldiers” are disturbing him. OT has a big heart, the kind of heart you need to accommodate people. He doesn’t know it all, so he listens. Part of the work of a general secretary requires dealing with internal conflict when they do arise, and be a neutral and just arbiter. Peter may be young but he’s not a push over. He would crack the whip when the need arise.
And who said knowing many Ghanaian languages do not matter? 45.7 percent of the country’s population is Akan. Those who don’t understand politics should let that sink in. In lay man’s terms, Akan is the largest in Ghana. Politics is local so no one needs French. Go and communicate with voters in the the coastal areas or rural Akan speaking areas in French and see if they don’t tell you to get lost.
A General Secretary in 2022 going forward ought to be able to communicate in any of the Akan languages. Peter Otokunor speaks fluent Ga, fluent Twi, Fanti, a bit of Akwapim and rusty Hausa. It makes a world of difference if your chief scribe speaks a language that majority of voters understand. Above all, Peter is competent. He’s also humble. Humility in public service is key. If there’s any candidate in the race for NDC General Secretary who’s suitably qualified, it is Peter Kofi Boamah Otokunor, a farmer, researcher, youth advocate and Agric-economist. I’ll urge my fellow delegates to give him their support.
Ras Mubarak.
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