John Kufuor Endorses Mahama’s Continuity Prayer

Says 4-Year Presidential Term Not Enough, Ahead Of NDC 2016 Campaign Launch Cape Coast

One of the highly experienced politicians in Ghana’s political history, who studied at the feet of great men like Kofi Abrefa Busia, Victor Owusu, perfected their arts, corrected their mistakes and rose to become the ‘successful leader of the Danquah-Busia-Dumbo tradition’ by serving as President of Ghana, has repeated his call for an extension of the presidential term arguing, the four-year term, is not enough to make a meaningful impact as President.

According to ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor, in view of the global race for development, a Ghanaian president, needs time to implement his programmes and also plan the economy.

The ex-President, who also briefly served in the PNDC military junta led by Jerry John Rawlings, suggested that the 4-year term, was simply not enough for any person to perform a magic of development; both infrastructural and economic.

His observations, come as his kid brother and friend, John Dramani Mahama, storms Cape Coast on Sunday to plead for four additional years to continue his ‘’Changing Lives and Transforming Ghana’’ agenda, because like ex-President Kufuor and ex-President Rawlings, who both served eight uninterrupted years, a four-year term is not enough.

Over 50,000 supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), party leaders and ordinary admirers of President Mahama, including celebrities, businessmen and members of the other political parties, are expected to grace the occasion.

The Oguaa Traditional Council in Cape Coast, has lifted a ban on noise making to allow the NDC 2016 campaign launch in the Central Region on Sunday which promises to be a political jamboree, and the NDC is happy with the decision.

At International Society for African Philosophy and Studies (ISAPS) conference on the theme “Democracy Justice and Development in Africa: 50 Years after Independence”, Joy FM quotes former president Kufuor as criticizing the framers of the Constitution for failing to undertake adequate research before deciding on the duration for Presidency.

What is interesting about ex-President Kufuor’s claim is that he and his colleagues had boycotted the consultative process initiated under the PNDC towards framing the 1992 constitution. They had belittled inputs the ordinary Ghana including traders, farmers, artisans among others. They had insisted on lawyers, professors and others considered the elites in society to rather draft the constitution.

The former president’s call is not new though. Eight years ago, in his last address to parliament after 8 years in power, President Kufuor opened a debate over presidential tenure when he suggested that at least a five-year tenure should be suitable for the African situation.