Alabi Promises to Bridge Grassroots, Govt Gap

By John Vigah

ASPIRING flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor Joshua Alabi, has said he would bridge the gap between the party's grassroots and government when voted into power.

"There was a gaping disconnect between the grassroots, party and government and that's what culminated in the resounding defeat of the NDC in the 2016 general elections," he lamented, in an interview with the Ghanaian Times yesterday.

Prof. Alabi, therefore, called on the electorate in next year's presidential primaries "to vote massively for me to be able to implement my policies and turn the tables around for our great party".

"We lost the 2016 elections because there was so much apathy, greed and neglect for which reason many of our supporters didn't turn out to vote and I'm going to keep my nose to the grindstone to ensure we return to the glorious era where the grassroots was seen as one big family."

According to Prof. Alabi, former Rector and Vice Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), of the 72 tertiary institutions, the then opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) won 69 of the ballot boxes in the last elections, with the NDC clinching only three.

"Part of the funds will be invested in bonds, treasury bills, fixed deposits and other financial instruments by each constituency to enable them fund their activities and support the branches."

He said when voted as flagbearer of the party and ultimately as president, he would ensure that scholarship schemes come down to the grassroots "which has been denied this facility for a long while".

Prof. Alabi, credited with the transformation of the UPSA to its present status, stressed the creation of a woman empowerment fund which would be directly under his presidency to support women to open up their businesses.

"Having said that key among my policies is job creation through a very efficient, coordinated and cooperative system, with the ultimate goal of making Ghana the financial hub of Africa," he asserted.

The former Greater Accra and Northern Regional Minister said agriculture is a big business and the entire chain has immense potentials to transform the lives of many Ghanaians, adding that his government "will assist and manage young people going into their choices of business - focusing on agriculture, agri-business, technology and small industries".

It is the first time a Ga-Adangbe is offering himself for the flagbearership position of the NDC.

Read Full Story