The New Patriotic Party has Thad its fair share of ups and downs, satisfaction and disappointment, glory and shame, joy and pain. After the ban on political parties was lifted as the country was preparing to go back to democracy and establish the Fourth Republic, like-minded people who shared the same political philosophy gathered to form political parties. Jerry John Rawlings, the military ruler of Ghana at the time founded the National Democratic Congress, some Nkrumaists founded the People’s National Convention, others formed the National Convention Party while those who shared the same liberal economic principles as J. B. Danquah and K.A. Busia reunited (having been split into the United National Convention and the Popular Front Party in the 1979 elections) to form the New Patriotic Party. It must be pointed out that forming a party to compete with Jerry Rawlings’ NDC was not a task for faint-hearted men. Many people who were members of some of the antecedents of the NPP joined Rawlings’ NDC. Perhaps, joining the party founded by the most powerful man in the country was the easier option. In spite of that, there were brave men who chose to stand up to Jerry Rawlings and speak truth to power. Some of these bold men are : Professor Albert Adu Boahen, Peter Ala Adjetey, Bernard Jao Da Rocha, John Agyekum Kuffuor, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo and Alan John Kyerematen. oday, the NPP is the Tlargest political party in the Republic of Ghana. By some distance, it is the most attractive party in Ghana. The party did not achieve that feat overnight. The men and women whose blood, sweat, tears and money contributed immensely to the making of the NPP and to the successes that the party enjoys today must be idolized. It is in this regard that I shine the spotlight on Alan John Kyerematen. Alan Kyerematen was a highly successful young man at the time the NPP was founded.
He had been a junior executive at a subsidiary of Unilever International in Ghana at the age of 22 and had also worked with the United Nations to establish EMPRETEC Ghana, becoming its founding Chief Executive at the age of 35 in 1990. As a result of his vast experience in management and entrepreneurial leadership, Alan Kyerematen became the chairman of the Young Executive Forum of the New Patriotic Party, a position he occupied for nine years. The Young Executive Forum was formed by highly successful young men who had achieved huge successes in their private lives. This powerful group of young executives used their power and influence to entice other successful businessmen to join the NPP and provide financial support to enhance the development of the NPP. It is therefore not surprising that Alan Kyerematen, Peter MacManu, Albert Kan Dapaah and other founding members of the Young Executive Forum of the NPP continue to inspire the youth in the party to give their all to the party as we try to consolidate our gains. gain, Alan AKyerematen’s exceptional leadership qualities ensured that he served on the National Executive Committee of the NPP for over a decade, serving under legendary National Chairmen B. J. DaRocha and Peter Ala Adjetey. During this period, he also served on the Economic Management Team and Finance Committee of the party to bring his renowned financial expertise on board as the party sought to wrestle power from Jerry Rawlings’ NDC. In fact, one of Alan Kyerematen’s most outstanding contributions to the NPP was his serving on the NPP’s negotiating team for the Great Alliance between the NPP and the National Covention Party prior to the 1996 elections. The effect of the Great Alliance on the growth of the NPP was evident in the party’s performance in the 1996 elections. J. A. Kuffuor, the leader of the NPP got an impressive 39.7% of the votes. Impressive; because in 1992, the NPP got less than 35% of the votes. From humble beginnings, the NPP had made a giant stride towards capturing power. Winning the hearts of Ghanaians through alliances proved to be vital in the 2000 elections when J. A. Kuffuor got the crucial support of the CPP and other parties in the run-off. Kudos to Alan Kyerematen and the others whose smart negotiating skills made these alliances possible and by extension made the party’s first electoral victory in the year 2000 possible.
Alan Kyerematen’s competence, character and commitment to the the NPP earned him the appointment as Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America in 2001. While he was away, Alan never lost touch with the party. Indeed, he supported NPP USA in various ways and till date, members of the NPP USA branch remember fondly his contributions to that branch. In 2003, President Kuffuor appointed Alan Kyerematen to take charge of the Trade Ministry. Alan continued to serve the NPP in various ways and in 2007 when the party was looking for a new leader, a very significant section of the party saw him as the man to take over as the leader of the party. In that year’s NPP primaries, Alan Kyerematen pulled 32.3% of the votes. As no candidate secured, the required 50% + 1 vote, a run-off, a run-off was, therefore, on the cards. For the sake of the party’s unity and having been told that his time will surely come, Alan Kyerematen rejected the chance of contesting in the run-off and threw his support behind Nana Akufo-Addo. 1 Alan Kyerematen: a long Serving Patriot Contd…. n view of Alan I Kyerematen’s significant dedication to the NPP from its founding till date and his loyalty to President Akufo-Addo, he has once again been appointed Minister for Trade and Industry. In fact, Alan Kyerematen was the first to be named minister after Nana Addo was sworn in on 7th January, 2021. o conclude, Alan TKyerematen has served the New Patriotic Party very well as a founding member, as a chairman of the Young Executives Forum, as a member of the NPP’s negotiating team for the Great Alliance, as Ambassador to the USA, as a Trade Minister, as a member of the National Executives Committee, as a member of the Economic Management Team of the party, as a member of the Finance Committee of the party and in many other roles that cannot be fully listed here. His experience, character, and competence has helped the party greatly in so many ways. Join me as I doff my hat to celebrate an inspiring long-serving Patriot, Alan John Kyerematen.
By: Gyansah Henry
Email : henrygyansah@yahoo.com
