Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur as running mate of Mahama...We saw it coming
Vice-president Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur's political journey from the early 1980's had been determined by human options and by force of circumstances.
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He accepted to be seconded from the University of Ghana as a lecturer to become the Special Assistant to the then Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwesi Botchwey at a tender age of 32 and later became the Deputy Secretary of Finance and Economic Planning during the erstwhile Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) Administration.
He became the Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government under former President Jerry Rawlings and was subsequently appointed by President John Atta Mills, as the Governor of Ghana's Central Bank, the Bank of Ghana, from 2009 to 2012 during which the country's inflation rate was reduced to a single digit.
Providence smiled on him after the demise of his mentor, Professor Mills, when President John Mahama, after intense search for a Vice-President to partner him to oversee the economic reconstruction of the country and ensure the social renewal of the people, settled on the reserved and humble Mr Amissah-Arthur.
Testing political waters
The past weeks have witnessed various groups testing the political waters by playing down on his significance in the government and recommending others to be appointed by the President as his running mate. Comments made by these groups have been unsavoury and unprintable all in the name of reducing him to nothingness in the eyes of the public.
Vicious rumour-mongering, deliberate manufacture of destructive stories, loose talk and character assassination of the Vice-President have been splashed on the tabloids with other self-styled groups holding him in derision.
In all these developments, the Vice-President kept quiet. He was cool-headed and disciplined. He was aware that uncontrollable forces were plotting against him and waiting for the kill and for that matter had not responded to their taunts and jeers.
He had been pressed on all sides to hit back at these detractors but refused to yield and firmly stuck to his policy of verbal non-violence. The Vice-President had already seen the trap set for him by his opponents within and without the NDC and had not given them any excuse to roll out the obnoxious plots they had hatched against his being and pedigree.
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As a witty politician, he is fully aware of the political snares and pitfalls in the country's uncharted political environment and will never fall for it.
Perhaps such persons who had developed the penchant of assailing the character and integrity of Mr Amissah-Arthur had not been provided with intimate insights into the calm and hardworking nature of the man. The Vice-President has a razor-sharp mind capable of understanding the psychology of the contrasting characters he interacts with on a daily basis as well as developing pragmatic ways of harmonising claims and rivalries of work mates and supporters.
He is carved in a mould that is in total contrast to President Mahama and former President Rawlings who possess amazing stagecraft.
The Vice-President is a brick and mortar person who weighs thoroughly the pros and cons of an issue carefully before drawing his own conclusions.
In other words, Vice-President Amissah-Arthur is an indefatigable worker, wholly dedicated to the cause of his boss, the President, and loyal to him to the point of fanaticism. He has always been an abnegating personality and gives to others credit that was due him for collective results.
Perhaps, the writer is strongly convinced the attacks on his being have rather nurtured his courage to the highest degree of bravery and endurance required for such high office of the land.
Rawlings remarks at delegates conference
Hints of his renomination was dropped by the Founder of the party and former President, Jerry John Rawlings, at the eighth NDC delegates conference in Kumasi on December 20, 2014. Former President Rawlings eulogised the Vice-President for his humility and hard work and thanked profusely President Mahama for nominating him as his running mate.
Although opponents of the Vice-President gnashed their teeth at former President Rawlings for having dashed their inordinate ambitions, others were strongly convinced that the party would save its breath on fracturing itself on the issue rather than concentrate its energies towards retaining political power in the 2016 general election.
The endorsement really attested to the humble character of the Vice-President and a vindication of perhaps, his position on policies which he strongly believes should be pursued by the government to reboot the economy to improve the material conditions of the broad masses of the people.
The Ghanaian media played up the fine words that the former President expressed about Mr Amissah-Arthur and some even were emphatic in their comments that President Mahama had already dealt with the issue of his running mate for the next poll.
The environment suited former President Rawlings who has an uncanny sense of timing. The stadium had assembled delegates from all the 275 constituencies, representatives of overseas branches, MPs, Council of Elders and the entire Ghanaian media, print, broadcast and online and for that matter his remarks received wide coverage raising the political profile of the Vice-President to new heights.
President Mahama’s trust in his veep
President Mahama’s continuous thumbs up for his veep is legendary. Indeed, the virtues of a good Vice-President is to act silently and loyally and not attempt in any way to overshadow his boss and this Mr Amissah-Arthur has demonstrated beyond every reasonable doubt.
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Hear him at the closing ceremony at the Senchi Forum, "I wish to take this opportunity to thank my Vice-President, Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, for all the hard work, time and dedication that he has invested in this forum. The leadership and other contributions that he has made to ensure the success of this forum is not short of exemplary."
Again in his elongated interview in the African Watch Magazine published on September 15, 2015, this was what President Mahama said about the Vice-President, "A lot of people are used to flamboyant type of politicians. He is the reversed type and does his work with dignity. I appreciate the rapport we have and I have a lot of respect for him.’’
Hear President Mahama again: "He is my chief adviser and provides me with a lot of technical support on economic issues."
He praised Mr Amissah-Arthur to the high heavens also during his interview with host Emmanuel Essel of the Garden City Radio. Hear him once more," I enjoy working with my Vice-President. As head of the Economic Management Team, my vice has initiated many policy interventions to keep this country running."
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He goes on further to say, "He is good in the day-to day running of the State anytime I am out of the country performing functions as the Head of ECOWAS or on an official mission for the country. Mr Amissah-Arthur takes care of everything."
Indeed, Mr Amissah-Arthur has served his political apprenticeship as a Vice-President of the country and has justified why he should be nominated again by the President as his running mate.
Looking at the short period left for campaigning before the conduct of the next general election, it would not had been politically prudent for the President to nominate a new running mate to replace Mr Amissah-Arthur, indicating that perhaps, he did not bow to pressure.
Yes, the President has spoken and it is final. All verbal guns must fall silent!
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