The first appointment made by His Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo was Mr. John Alan Kyeremanten. The news about his appointment was flaunted with what was to be expected from him, to establish the industrialisation dream President Akufo-Addo is publicly and legitimately credited with. It’s recognised that the idea of industrialisation of Ghana is one that President Nana Akufo-Addo conceived and publicly pronounced same in 2008 after detailed research by him and his manifesto committee. At the launch of the 64-paged manifesto at the National Cultural Centre, Dwabrem, in Kumasi; then candidate Nana Akufo-Addo stated among others that the nation could not continue to be a raw material economy in the 21st century. “We have to industrialise our nation and move away from being dependent on foreign finished products,” thus, any attempt by any person or group to assume themselves as proponents of the
industrialization concept without credit to President Nana Akufo-Addo and his team amounts to, for want of a better word, a ‘dishonest infringement.’
But, regrettably, some elements with very questionable loyalty to the NPP who tout themselves as so-called loyalists of Trade Minister Alan Kyeremanten have suddenly turned themselves into PR experts for the productivity flowing from the ‘1 district 1 Factory’ initiative of President Akufo-Addo. Surprisingly, these purported loyalists of Alan Kyeremanten have oftentimes been convinced about leading the crusade of malicious propaganda against the Akufo-Addo administration to which Alan Kyeremanten is serving. At other times, these loyalists of Alan Kyeremanten are seen assaulting the vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in an unprovoked manner much to the chargrin of NPP members. Whatever the motivation of these loyalists of Alan is in the assumption of these counterproductive tactics, we are yet to know. It is instructive to note that, then NPP running mate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, was the first to announce to the Ghanaian public this very initiative in 2016. That said, why would these believers in the personality cult of Alan Kyeremanten think their man should be credited with the outputs of 1D1F and not the President Akufo-Addo?
To be fair to Alan Kyeremanten, he was a trade minister for the period of 2003-2007 under President Agyekum Kufour. To establish the truth in the industrialist tag forcefully wrapped around Alan Kyeremanten, we ought to consider his achievements under President Kufour where the Ghanaian public and close loyalist of Alan strongly allege that Alan had enormous powers and support against Alan’s achievements under President Akufo-Addo where close loyalists of Alan have consistently alleged about limitations and restrictions of Alan’s discretionary powers. To start with, it must be said straight into the faces of these Alan supporters that, President Akufo-Addo is the boss and employer of Alan. Indeed, when Alan found himself in the unfortunate ‘$100,000 Cash For Seat’ trouble, it took the President Akufo-Addo to ‘bail’ Alan.
Indeed, it was widely believed then, that Alan was a loyalist of President Kufour. Assuming this was the truth then, it seems Alan was credited with all the relevant luxuries and the conducive atmosphere to build factories and boost the private sector. But what was the achievements of Alan during the Kufour administration? Under Alan as trade minister in charge of Presidential Special initiative during the regime of President Kufour, Alan sought to revive pwalugu tomato factory in the Upper East Region which was built by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. The factory, indeed, wasn’t operational in its full capacity. Why this was the case when Alan had all the relevant support from President Kufour, only Alan can tell. The competences and commitment of Alan to the pwalugu tomato factory became apparent, shortly after the NPP had lost power in 2008. It had to take the new NDC Mills/Mahama administration to pay accrued salary and wages of workers in 2009. The other factory which Alan often boasts of, is the Ayensu Starch Factory. It has been reported that, the ayensu starch factory struggled under Alan as trade minister. What survived Ayensu starch factory for a short while is the decision by Guiness Ghana Limited to purchase from them under the NDC administration. However, even as late as 2014, Alan continued to take credit for the good management of the factory by the NDC. This was the two main prominent achievements of Alan Kyeremanten under President Kufour regime, where Alan is said to have enjoyed substantial enabling environment, wide powers and discretion, and huge resources to operate.
On the other hand, close loyalists of Alan Kyeremanten at the start of this very administration of President Akufo-Addo, alleged strongly and vociferously but mistakenly that Alan’s hands were tied, rendered ineffective with the appointment of 1D1F National coordinator, etc. Contrary to these wicked lies by loyalists of Alan is that, President Akufo-Addo allowed Alan to be part of his cabinet and a member of the economic management team. What has been the success or failure of Alan as trade minister under his current boss, President Akufo-Addo? If we are to admit those spurious allegations by Alan’s loyalists to the extent that, Alan had very restricted discretion and is overly controlled under Akufo-Addo administration, how then does Alan or his loyalists turn around to desperately and forcefully identify themselves with the success of 1D1F? Now that Alan is so desperate to take credit for 1D1F, to find out about the truth in Alan’s commitment to the industrialisation concept, we must ask about the state of Ayensu starch factory under Alan as trade minister. This is important lest Alan is seen as an ‘opportunist.’ Currently under him, workers of Ayensu starch factory are crying over unpaid salaries. In the same vein, the ‘international man’ as Alan prides himself with hasn’t been able to resolve the tussle between JOSPON and Ayensu starch factory.
Interestingly, how has Alan been able to manage the much talked about, Komenda Sugar factory in his own ‘fante’ land? The factory has been in deteriorating state. What does Alan intend to do after five (5) years as trade minister? How about the revamped and now re-branded EKU Juice? The President Akufo-Addo in his inaugural speech of his second term was at pains to lament about the invisibility of EKU juice and other manufactured products on the local market of Ghana. Of course, EKU juice is also in the central region. Yet, surprisingly in 2007, Alan had called on the good people of Central region to vote for him because “I am the only Fante in the race so please let me make history for you as the first Fante to be the president but not vice;” the question begs, was this how Alan intended to build the central region when he called on the central region in 2007 to make him the President against Atta Mills who served as a vice?
As Alan is busying himself with attending commissioning of new factories, any ordinary person in the position of Alan will rather focus on marketing and connecting these factories and their finished products with the Ghanaian market. If the products are not sold, and proceeds not gained, how can the factories sustain and survive? If these Ghanaian made products are absent from the Ghanaian market, what then will be the benefit of AFCTA to Ghana? Wouldn’t the factories become like Ayensu and pwalugu? Alan is reminded and advised to focus on how to get the goods manufactured in the Ghanaian market at a competitive price. Ghanaians have said that, the essence of being a trade minister in charge of 1D1F is not to busy yourself in the commissioning of factories built by private Ghanaians but to provide a workable avenue for the new product to penetrate the established market so as to sustain the factories. In Alan’s case, he is lucky that President Akufo-Addo, who understands the industrialisation concept better, reminded him at such an important occasion.
Over time in history, creative ideas and workable concepts have been deemed as intellectual property in which the creator is allowed to enjoy the fruits from their creation. The significance has been to encourage people to bring about workable ideas. But, it becomes worrying when people like Alan Kyeremanten who ought to know better, are seen flirting in such infringement with obvious dishonesty. We in Ghana, are convinced in our election of President Akufo-Addo and his running mate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. Their ability to think and invent new workable ideas which is boosting our economy even in the middle of a global pandemic which is leaving ravaging consequences on the Ghanaian economy is very laudable. Talk about NIA, Digital address system, Paperless system at our ports, Hospitals, DVLA, etc; 1 Village 1Dam; 1D1F, Free SHS, etc.