Berekum (Brong Ahafo) 25 May ’99
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr J.H. Owusu-Acheampong, has declared his support for President Rawling’s nomination of the Vice-President, Professor John Atta Mills, as the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2000 general elections.
He told a meeting of the Berekum NDC constituency executive officers at Berekum yesterday that he would offer dedicated service to the NDC and its leadership to sustain the country’s forward march to prosperity and good governance.
Mr Owusu-Acheampong who is the MP for Berekum, had earlier been chosen unanimously by the meeting to stand again for the constituency in the forthcoming elections.
The minister expressed the hope that the declaration of his support for Professor Mills would put to rest rumours, allegations and speculations about his political ambitions.
Mr Owusu-Acheampong said like every politician, he has ambitions but never has he behaved in a way as to let those ambitions override the overall interests of the party.
He told the meeting that rumours about his loyalty to the NDC were calculated attempts to destroy him and advised NDC supporters to disregard them because they could only come from what he termed “mischievous minds.”
Mr Owusu-Acheampong advised the supporters to be wary of people who have sworn to divide their ranks through rumour peddling and sowing of seeds of discord and urged them to evolve campaign strategies that would ensure victory for the party in the forthcoming elections.
Whispers in political corridors had it that Mr. Owusu-Acheampong who was the Minister for Parliamentary Affair until a major Cabinet re-shuffle late last year, had his eyes on the country’s topmost post.
