I'm not incompetent - Kojo Bonsu

Mr Kojo Bonsu, who is hoping to lead the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) as its flagbearer for Election 2020 has disagreed with suggestions that he was incompetent.

According to Mr Bonsu, he was rather surprised that some NDC party members are questioning his competence to lead the party, saying that should be left to the delegates to decide.

Mr Bonsu said he has performed well in all his endeavours in both private and public service, and that qualifies him for the top job.

“My experience at Ghana Oil, my experience as the Chairman of the National Sports Council, Mayor of Kumasi and the work I have done in Ghana, I wonder how somebody would say there is a question mark with my competence. I believe in myself. I think I have performed. And even with the NDC unity walk I was able to bring thousands of people on the streets. When you do this, is it incompetence,” Mr. Bonsu asked when he addressed NDC supporters on Wednesday.

Mr. Bonsu last week expressed interest in the NDC’s flagbearership race and subsequently submitted his letter of intent to the leadership of the party on Monday October 1.

He has however been criticized by the NDC Greater Accra Regional Chairman, Mr Ade Coker, who thinks he’s not competent for the position.

Read also: Kojo Bonsu joins NDC presidential race

“The fact that you have been a KMA Mayor does not qualify you to be President of Ghana. Jesus Christ! Let’s cry aloud, let’s be serious. The world is watching us. He is my very good friend, and when I see him, I will advise him to go and sleep somewhere. Please! We sit here, every Tom, Dick, and Harry gets up, and he wants to be what? If your ribs are not strong, you do not take punches,” Ade Coker said in a television interview with Citi TV on Monday.

In response, Mr. Bonsu insisted he has all it takes to contest the position.

“I’m not going to argue against anyone, I want the voters and the public to judge me,” he added.

I didn’t squander Rattray Park cash - Kojo Bonsu

Kojo Bonsu also rejected allegations he bloated the contract sum used for the construction of the now poorly maintained Kumasi Rattray Park when he served as the Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly.

The budget for the Rattary Park was $4.4 million. That was the budget. But the actual expenditure as I was leaving the office was about GHc5.4million, which if you do the equivalent translation it;s about $1.2million. That was the actual money spent. I want to clear this [misconception]. KMA never had the $4.4 million everybody think I squandered.”

“It was a budget and funding from funding sources like UDF, IDF and a lot of funding sources. So we took money from there. So the difference of actual spent money and budget is totally a different thing. KMA is public office and everybody can go there and check. We have made so much money and paid off the debt. At the moment KMA has collected a lot of inflows so you cannot say I squandered the money,” the former KMA boss argued.

The NDC has planned to elect its flagbearer in December this year for the 2020 presidential election.

Twelve people have shown interest in the vacant position including former President John Mahama, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies (UPSA), Prof. Joshua Alabi, former NHIS boss, Sylvester Mensah, Goosie Tanoh, Alban Bagbin, Spio Garbrah among others.