Making this announcement at a press briefing on Thursday, November 3, 2022, in Accra, the former Minister of Finance brought a finality to the uncertainties or otherwise about his recent political intentions.
“Today, I officially announce my intention to contest for the flagbearership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) anytime the party opens nominations. I have led a great public and private life, one of success and accomplishments. I will offer myself once again to serve the land of my birth with great humility and sacrifice when I’m given the chance to do so.
“We are witnessing a real dawn of an era in which country trumps person and progress trumps power. An era for all, the era of 'The Ghanaian dream,' he said.
But he is not the first person unofficially tipped to run for the vacant slot in the NDC.
John Dramani Mahama, Ghana’s former president, has been highly predicted to lead the party again into the 2024 general elections, although he is yet to officially announce that intention.
There are possibilities too that other names may pop up for the vacancy, but while that tarries, GhanaWeb takes a look at the personalities of the two candidates above, analysing their strengths when pegged against each other.
Ultimately, this article hopes to bring to the fore all the political strengths of Dr. Kwabena Duffuor and John Dramani Mahama, even as the two race for the enviable spot as flagbearer of the NDC.
Let’s begin with Dr. Duffuor.
Strengths:
A financial powerhouse:
Looking at the Curriculum Vitae of Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, there should be no argument around the fact that he is a man well vexed in the things of finances.
From being the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, to Minister of Finance, he has been in the financial sector for so long, successfully building a local bank that was rivaling foreign ones in this country until it was collapsed by the banking crisis of 2019.
With the country currently facing its most difficult economic times in the current republic, the expertise of Dr. Duffuor in the financial sector can surely come to play to his advantage.
It is worth noting that when he was minister, his administration, under the late former president of Ghana, John Evans Atta Mills, chalked a lot of major strides, including ensuring that the exchange rate in the country stood at GH₵1.20 to the US dollar as of the end of 2008, rising marginally to GH₵1.80 by the end of 2012.
That, in essence, meant that during his time, the dollar only appreciated by 60 pesewas to the Ghana cedis.
Success in business:
While he is not much of a big talker or a major face that is seen in the media all the time, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor has successfully built and grown many businesses in the country.
Beyond the more popular brands like uniBank (although now defunct), the former minister has also built many companies.
According to details on the official website of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), which he owns, “Dr. Duffuor is the Founder and Senior Advisor to HODA Holdings, an entity with over fifteen (15) business enterprises in insurance, banking, real estates, farming and media conglomerate.”
It is also well-known that he is the owner of the media brand, Excellence in Broadcasting, commonly known as the EIB Network, owners of the Starr FM, GhOne and its sister channels.
John Dramani Mahama:
Strengths:
Popularity
John Dramani Mahama is already a household name, far above the clout that Duffuor could have currently in the country.
As a man who has been politically active since the 90s, he sure has seen more in politics than his contender.
He is also believed to be a man who has been through all the political stages in the country, right from being an Assembly Member, through to becoming the president of Ghana.
If years of experience are anything to go by, John Mahama surely towers over his opponent very easily.
Former president/Political experience:
The race for the flagbearer position of the NDC is one that is ultimately targeted at being the president of Ghana.
In the case of John Dramani Mahama, this is an area he is very experienced in, having served as Ghana’s president for a full term of four years, plus some few months that he took on after the death of his predecessor, John Mills.
His achievements or otherwise are also there for people to analyse and that gives him a better advantage ahead of his other candidate.
Before becoming president, John Mahama served as vice president of Ghana.
This was after he had served as Member of Parliament for Bole Bamboi from 1997 to 2009. He has also served as a Deputy Minister of Communications and then as a substantive Minister of Communications, all under the administration of Jerry John Rawlings.
John Dramani Mahama is also the first Head of State of Ghana who was born after Ghana’s independence.
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Dr. Kwabena Duffuor is likely to go head to head with John Dramani Mahama