Features
NDC flagbearer race: Who wins?
Mr John Dramani Mahama • Mr Kwabena Dufour • Mr Kojo Bonsu
As with all democratic political parties, the NDC, unlike previous times some years ago, has accepted the democratic principle of choosing a flagbearer instead of having them imposed on the party by a higher authority, as was the case with the late Jerry John Rawlings in 1993 and also the late Arthur Mills in 2000.
Today, thanks to democracy, parties in Ghana have come to accept the democratic principle and are now ensuring that the choice of candidates come from people described and recognised as official delegates. These delegates have the responsibility of ensuring that flag-bearers go through the democratic process of selection.
When the opportunity was open for people willing to lead the NDC as flagbearers, four names popped out, but later one of them decided to withdraw from the competition. Thus, we now have three candidates who have decided to compete to become flagbearers of the party. As we know, only one candidate is expected to win this enviable position.
The three candidates are Dr. Kwame Dufuor, former Minister of Finance; Mr. Kojo Bonsu; and finally, Mr. John Dramani Mahama. These are the three candidates who have been bold enough to lock horns with each other for the flagbearer title, come May 13.
From the initial stages, it was as if the competition was going to be an easy race for one of the candidates. It has now become clear that the competition is going to be intense for all the three candidates.
When we look at the NDC, it is difficult to understand why only three candidates have come up to compete in the race. For a political party that has ruled the country before, we were expecting them to come up with more names. This is because we have not forgotten people like Hon. Ekwow Spio-Garbraah, Prof. Naana Opoku- Agyemang, Prof. Joshua Alabi and a few more.
The fact is that no one within the NDC can be compelled to enter the flagbearer race. Only those who have the boldness to come forward to compete.
And to be able to compete in the race, a candidate must have leadership qualities and have been accepted by the delegates. The person should be honest and bold enough to stand as the leader of a party. That person should also have the patience to accommodate all kinds of views within the party.
Similarly, the person should have a good temperament, be affable and be very knowledgeable about the challenges that lie ahead in nation building and governance, among others.
It is also important for such a person to be very experienced in governance. The person should also be confident enough to come out with programmes that can convince the delegates and later the electorate to vote for him. If all these ingredients are available, then it is most likely that he will win the race as a flagbearer.
The question to ask is: does any of the three candidates — Kojo Bonsu, Dr. Kwame Dufuor and Mr. John Mahama — possess these qualities and many more as required?
It will be difficult to answer “yes” to this question. However, one of them can win the flagbearer position and become leader of the party in the 2024 general elections. Winning the flagbearer position will not necessarily enable you to win the presidential election in 2024. This is an important point that must not be overlooked.
Mr. Kojo Bonsu has been mayor of Kumasi before. As far as that is concerned, he has acquired some skills that will help him to win some votes from the delegates. He has, however, not been heard pronouncing policies and programmes that endear him to the hearts of the delegates. Probably he does this on the quiet, but it will be strange for him to keep quiet on such matters.
Dr. Kwame Dufuor, on the other hand, appears to be more experienced, especially in the area of national financial administration. Even here, he has not created a positive impact on the minds of Ghanaians, so it will be difficult for the delegates to select him as flag-bearer. We cannot write him off entirely. He is a heavyweight champion in his own right, but one wonders whether he can win the flag-bearer race.
When we come to John Dramani Mahama, he has served as a former vice president and president before in this country. In addition, he has also served as a Member of Parliament and a Minister of Information before.
This put him ahead of his other two competitors. In addition, he is endowed with abundant financial resources. He is believed to be the financier of many of the programmes of the NDC. He must, however, pay attention to his pronouncements, especially how he attacks his political opponents.
His previous experience as a former president has not created a good image in the minds of Ghanaians as someone who can create better conditions for Ghanaians when given the chance. Again, his administration has been characterised by alleged corruption and embezzlement of funds. A number of his former ministers who were prosecuted in court today testified to this.
In light of all this, what will be the verdict of the NDC delegates?
All in all, most of the delegates will vote for him to become the flag-bearer of the party. However, can he win the 2024 elections?
Perhaps, he should have listened to the good advice given to him by his friend, Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria.
Mr. John Mahama is likely to win, from all indications, with 71.3 per cent, followed by Dr. Kwame Dufuor with 21 per cent and finally Mr. Kojo Bonsu with 7.7 per cent.
This is how it will be, so will anyone want to challenge me?
EMAIL ADDRESS/WHATSAPP NUMBER OF AUTHOR:
PRADMAT201@GMAIL.COM (0553318911)
By Dr. Kofi Amponsah-Bediako
Today, I focus on the Apostolic Church International in Finland, as I continue with my description of institutions and personalities and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The Apostolic Church International, Finland (or, Apostolic International Association Ry) was established in October 9, 2023. The Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments within the short time that it has been established in Finland, which must be highlighted.
History of the Church in Ghana
The Apostolic Church Ghana originated from the 1904–1905 Welsh revival, officially established in Ghana (then called Gold Coast) in 1935 following connections between a local prayer group in Asamankese (a town in southern Ghana), led by Peter Newman Anim, and the Apostolic Church, UK. There were historical splits in 1939 and 1953, but the Apostolic Church attained autonomy in 1985.
Today, the Church is headquartered in Accra. Last year (2025), it dedicated its new 10-storey headquarters, “The Apostolic Church Tower,” in Frafraha, Adenta West in Accra.
Activities of the Apostolic Church in Finland
The Apostolic Church in Finland conducts church service on Sundays. The service starts at 11a.m. in the morning and closes by 1 p.m. in the afternoon. There are no other activities during other days for now.
The Minister in charge of the church in Finland is also the Area Head of Italy Area. He is Pastor Daniel Kofi Addison who is the new Italy Area Head, and has just been transferred from UK South Area to Italy Area during the just-ended Council Meeting in March this year. Italy Area comprises Italy, which has 13 Assemblies, Germany, one Assembly, and Finland, one Assembly.
Elder Ebenezer Amoaning-Coffie is the Presiding Elder in charge of the Assembly in Finland. A Presiding Elder is responsible for day to day activities of the church (Assembly) and reports to the District Pastor, or in the absence of the District Pastor, reports to the Area Head.
Achievements
The Apostolic Church International, Finland was officially registered under the Finnish Law, guaranteeing freedom of worship and providing legal foundation for future growth. The church service is conducted in both English and Twi.
The church opens its doors to all people of every nation, especially Ghanaians who are in Finland and other African nationals. Now, the membership comprises Ghanaians, Nigerians and Sierra Leoneans.
The Church and the Ghanaian migrant community in Finland
The Apostolic Church in Finland plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the Apostolic Church is a religious body for Ghanaian migrants in Finland and other nationalities who want to worship with them for diversity and better intercultural and multicultural understanding.
Elder Amoaning-Coffie said that the main and primary aim of the church is to bring people closer to God. “We aim to win souls for Christ. We aim to preach the gospel to the world. By propagating the gospel to the people, we are hopeful that they will turn away from any ungodly ways and be good individuals in the community and in society in general”, he stated.
He said that everything is going well so far. A key challenge, however, is how to get more members especially the youth. As a new Assembly, we are in need of instrumentalists, for example. We pray to God Almighty to help us do His work, the Elder disclosed.
Integration
By its activities, the Apostolic Church is helping to ensure integration of its members well into the Finish society. This is important since social interaction and citizens’ well-being are an important part of the integration process in Finland.
As I mentioned some time ago, the role of migrant associations and groups such as the Apostolic Church acting as bridge-builders for the integration and inclusion of migrants through participation in the decision making process and by acting as a representative voice is highly appreciated in Finland. Thank you!
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
The landscape of the Ghanaian palate is shifting, and not necessarily for the better. In our bustling urban centres, from the streets of Accra to the suburbs of Kumasi, a quiet culinary revolution is taking place; one where the mortar and pestle are being replaced by the pizza oven and the deep fryer. This transition from traditional staple foods like fufu, banku, akple, kenkey, tuo zaafi, and ampesi toward “continental” dishes is more than just a change in appetite; it is a reflection of a deeper social struggle with identity and prestige.
The illusion of modernity
For many, “stepping out” for a meal has become synonymous with consuming foreign cuisine. There is an unspoken social hierarchy where a bowl of Abunuabunu is relegated to the village category, while burgers, pizzas are branded as prestigious choices. We have reached a stage where we equate foreign with modern and local with primitive.
This perception is a dangerous illusion. Our traditional dishes are marvels of culinary engineering complex, nutrient-dense, and deeply rooted in our history. When we choose a processed foreign import over a meal made from local tubers or fermented maize, we are not just changing our lunch; we are eroding the indigenous knowledge attached to our local ingredients and foods.
We need to turn the consumption of indigenous grains and tubers like millet, sorghum, and plantain into a statement of self-worth and national pride.
The cultural and health erosion
Every time a local dish disappears from a restaurant menu to make room for foreign fast food, we lose a piece of our cultural fabric. Traditional Ghanaian cooking is an art that requires patience and skill. By choosing the convenience of foreign fast food, we are raising a generation that may know the taste of a pepperoni pizza but cannot identify the rich, earthy profile of Prekese or the subtle tang of well-fermented dough dishes like corn porridge, banku, etew, abolo, agidi or kamfa, and kenkey.
Furthermore, we are at the crossroads of a nutrition transition. Replacing high-fiber, indigenous crops with calorie-dense but nutrient-poor foreign fast foods is driving a rise in lifestyle diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, cancer, and liver disease. We are trading our longevity for 15-minutes convenience or unhealthy diet.
A call for culinary patriotism
It is time for us to appreciate, preserve, and promote our indigenous foods and culinary traditions. We need to be proud of our local dishes, ingredients and cooking methods, rather than relying heavily on foreign or imported foods. We must stop viewing our local delicacies as low-class and start treating our culinary heritage as the high-end gastronomy it truly is.
True sophistication does not come from imitating Western fast food; it comes from innovation and adding values to our own resources. We see glimpses of this potential in the rise of branded Sobolo and the creative use of gluten-free plantain flour in modern baking of flour-based dishes such as bread, cakes, biscuits and others. This is the path forward. We must elevate our local dishes, making them as accessible, affordable, presentable and trendy as any foreign alternative.
To the hospitality industry: Innovate or stagnate
Our hotels and high-end restaurants must lead the charge. They must stop relegating local dishes to the “traditional corner” of the buffet, and apply the same culinary finesse given to imported dishes to our Fante Fante, apapransa, aborbi tadi, fetritoto, akple, abolo, yakayeke, fufu, ampesi, kokonte, wasawasa, tubani, apapransa, mpotompoto, kelewele, aliha, brukutu, pito, and other local dishes. The industry must enhance customer experiences making eating local dishes the ultimate luxury experience for both tourists and residents alike. We must elevate the presentation of our foods by using modern plating techniques to show that a bowl of light soup can be as visually stunning as a French consommé. We need to reclaim our Ghanaian plate before it is too late.
To the policy makers: Let us encourage buying of local ingredients to promote the local food industry and economy. There should be educational programmes and talks about the nutritional and cultural benefits of local foods so that people understand their value.
We need to encourage serving traditional dishes at school programmes, parties, and celebrations instead of only fast foods,
To the Youth: Let us value and appreciate our traditional dishes instead of always choosing foreign foods. There must be balance in our choice of local and foreign dishes. Confidence in our culture encourages others to respect it too. Our local dishes can also be promoted by sharing pictures, recipes, and videos on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp to make them attractive and trendy.
Young citizens must learn from their parents and elders how to prepare local meals to keep the knowledge and cultural relevance alive. Local dishes can be modernised to appeal to younger generations and tourists.
Conclusion
We cannot afford to trade our heritage for foreign cuisines which are gaining grounds across the country at an alarming rate. We must disabuse our minds of the perception that anything foreign or imported is better than those locally made. Our health, economy, and identity are tied to the soil. It is time to stop apologising for our local flavours and start celebrating them. It is possible to embrace modernity without losing ourselves and our cultural identity. Let us make the Ghanaian kitchen the heart of our modern identity once again.
By: Marilyn Gadogbe
