Bernard Quayson (IT-Specialist)
Is it mere talk?
Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong on Monday, 16 May 2022, declared his ambitions for the 2024 presidential election on the ticket of the NPP to transform the economic fortunes of Ghana by focusing on farming, industrialization and tourism.
Before we jump to any conclusions, whether it is mere talk or not, they say; “the devil is always in the details”. Reading the book itself will be the unbiased judge of the cover.
Can farming, Industrialization and Tourism transform the economic fortune of this country, Ghana?
History is believed to have been documented because of questions like these. Over 400 years back, wealth was in lands; so those who own the land owned the wealth. Then came production and industrialization, and that was when America rose to dominance; America dominated the world. But today, the one with timely information owns the wealth.
Let us not undermine how valuable land can be to us. Russia and Ukraine are at odds over territorial powers over land. So, land can be a powerful asset, only if it can be turned into a time value.
Can the state own big farmlands (Large scale)?
Yes, it is possible for the government to own large-scale farms to produce the raw materials needed for industrialization on a large scale. Hon Kennedy Agyapong, on January 20, 2023, promised to use the northern part of the country as the food basket of Africa. He also added Afram and Accra plains as other arable lands to feed the whole of Africa. That’s a positive going forward; but is it mere talk?
Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong chose the northern regions, Afram and Accra plains, which are very excellent for farming, and at the same time, disassociated from small-scale mining activities- because those places he chose for farming are not “Galamsey“ prone areas. This is a hint to prove it wasn’t mere talk.
He’s already the director of Assin Farms; a farming company that produces crops and livestock. Hon Kennedy Agyapong has over 2500 hectares of cassava farm and a starch factory in Amantin Atebubu (Brong-Ahafo region) with almost 900 direct employments. His principle of adding value to our raw materials is transforming Ghana from the Guggisberg economy; where our raw cocoa, bauxite and gold are exported, instead of adding value before sending it abroad.
According to Hon. Kennedy, we can also get ethanol from cassava in addition to starch, which can be used to produce alcoholic beverages, and can also be mixed with fuel to reduce fuel cost by about 30%. So, this is indeed not just mere talk.
Assin Farms & Starch Factory Gallery
Why Industrialization?
As we all know, Industrialization is why America has been able to provide about 50,000 green cards, or lawful permanent residence, each year through a lottery system. So, industrialization as tackled by the honorable can be a giant tool to curb unemployment and importation rates. But is it mere talk?
Hon. Kennedy has built Africa’s biggest cold store with a 31,000-tonne capacity in Accra and has started steel production in Ghana (which is the biggest steel factory in west Africa) as part of his ambition to compete with foreign companies and support Ghana’s industrialization agenda. So far, he has spent over 32 million dollars on the steel plant, representing 80% of the completion of the project.
We cannot indeed ignore the fact that 1D1F is one of the best policies since Ghana’s governance in 1992. If every government had followed this policy from independence until now, at least 60% of it would have been accomplished, if not all. If the nature of Ghana’s economy has to be changed from one that is dependent on the export of raw materials and the import of finished goods to one that is focused on manufacturing, value addition, and the export of processed goods, then it must be realized through this policy. And Hon. Kennedy Agyapong has singularly embarked on this policy to help Ghana achieve the biggest problem of the messed-up economy. On 22 June 2021, he cut sod to build 80-bed Cardio (Cardiothoracic) Centre at 37 military Hospital in Accra; which will include Cardiothoracic Training Centre and conference room, a VVIP clinic, 3 operating Theatres, an Intensive Care Unit, Executive Clinic, a Dialysis Unit, X-Ray Unit, a Robotic Unit, a Pharmacy an Outpatient Department, among other essential units. Just recently, the president (Nana Akufo Addo) inspected this project and according to Kennedy Agyapong, the project is expected to be completed by December.
Kennedy's Cardio Centre, Cold Store & the Steel factory Gallery
Kennedy Ohene Agyapong's effort already solving unemployment
Apart from the Cold Store, the Steel factory, the Cardio Centre, the Starch factory and the Assin Farms, he also owns;
- Supercare Group of companies; a dealer of Air conditioners and other appliances,
- Hollywood Shopping Centre; A shopping mall that sells various goods and services,
- Oman FM, Ashh FM, Net 2 TV, Spice FM, The National Newspaper; media outlets that broadcast news and entertainment,
- Mina D’oro Ventures, M/S Imperial World Business Limited: General trading companies that deal with various products,
- Gold Coin Communication: A communication company that provides telecommunication services, and
- Real Estate Company: A company that develops and sells properties.
This is not just a mere talk by Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong to turn the economic fortunes of this country through industrialization. He has proven to be practical and successful with business, and not just what has been defined in books.
Can Tourism play a role in turning the economic fortune of a country?
Yes, tourism can play a significant role in turning the economic fortune of a country. Tourism contributes towards the complete growth and development of a country by bringing numerous economic values and benefits, and helping to build a country’s brand value, image, and identity. The tourism industry goes beyond attractive destinations to being an important economic growth contributor. It is one of the important sources of employment generation and foreign exchange earnings for a country.
Many countries have benefited from tourism. According to Forbes, the top 10 countries most dependent on tourism are Palau, Dominica, Vanuatu, The Bahamas, Aruba, Saint Lucia, Anguilla, Seychelles, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda. However, some countries are more reliant on tourism than others. For example, the Maldives is the country most reliant on tourism, with around 20 others across the world deriving more than 10% of their gross domestic product from tourism.
Commitment Level
It is said, “the quality of one’s life depends on the quality of his thinking.” So, if your thinking is good, you live a quality life. To date, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has not been defeated in any parliamentary elections for Assin central since 2000. He was first elected as a member of parliament in 2000 to the seat of Assin North. He retained his seat in the 2004 and 2008 parliamentary elections. In 2012, he moved to Assin central and won that seat. He has since been re-elected in 2016 and 2020. He’s currently serving his seventh term as a member of parliament.
It is important for all presidential aspirants to know that Hon Kennedy Agyapong doesn’t lose elections, and with his commitment level, he will win this one as well.
Apart from being a member of parliament, Hon Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has also held other political positions within his party and in parliament. He is currently the Chairman of Parliament’s
Committee on Defence and the Interior. He has also served as a member of Parliament’s Committee on Communications, Committee on Local Government and Rural Development, Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism, Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Committee on Roads and Transport, among others. He is also a founding member of his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Participations
Hon Kennedy Agyapong is known by many for his outspoken and sometimes controversial political views. Contemptuous remarks by him have been brought to the attention of the court for criticizing high government officials, government policies, members of his own party, and pastors with ingenuine or misleading content. Apart from being a vocal critic of corruption, media bias and violence, he has also contributed immensely to this country’s development and his political party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
As one of the founding members of NPP, Hon Kennedy Ohene Agyapong claimed to have settled a $3 million loan that the NPP took in 1992 through CAL Bank for financing their political activities at that time. This was because the party was broke and could not repay the loan with interest.
Hon Kennedy Agyapong in 2004 bought 100 pick-ups for the NPP party and 240 TATA pick-ups for every constituency in 2008. He has supported the NPP financially for 30 years.
In 1992, he gave the then NPP Flagbearer, Prof. Adu Boahen US$ 300,000 in support of his Presidential bid. He recently visited the NPP headquarters and pledged to raise funds to support the party primaries.
Recommendations
None of the presidential aspirants has been more impactful locally than the Assin mafia, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong. Taking on someone who has provided more than a million locals with direct jobs won’t be easy. It will be arduous for Ghanaians to turn down. Ghana could take a big turn with Hon Kennedy Agyapong as president. With all the work he has put into building people and defending national security and the development of the country, it is no surprise that he is called Patriotic, Honest, and Disciplined.
Conclusion
Ghana since independence has been choosing professionals to occupy its political positions, yet, the country has not attained the development expected by its citizens. Lawyers, professors, doctors, etc., have not helped. It’s time to try businessmen and investors because running a country requires a skilled negotiator, and you can’t take it from Hon Kennedy Ohene Agyapong.
