Nunoo-Mensah: “Joining GUM will add a vote to the party’s fortunes”

Brigadier General Joseph Nunoo-Mensah, a former chief of staff of the Ghana Armed Forces, has said that the intention behind his decision to join the Ghana Union Movement (GUM) is to add one vote to the party’s tally.

The former chief of defence staff made this statement in an interview with Karen Dodoo on the lunchtime news on Asaase Radio on Thursday (27 August).

Nunoo-Mensah said the party’s message of giving priority to industrialisation and its vision of reviving abandoned factories that were left behind by Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, were what attracted him.

Spurred by pragmatism

“I am somebody who is very pragmatic: I look at issues and find a solution,” the former chief of staff told Asaase News.

“And I look at Ghana today … I have been around for a very long time – 83, 84 years; I have seen Ghana’s development up and down – and I have come to the stage where I am not sure about the future of this country and where we are going.

“We had this Fourth Republic in 1992 – almost 28 years [ago]. We have done this experiment of NDC and NPP. And I’m looking into the future and I can’t see clear, because I look at my background and where I am coming,” he said.

Job squeeze

Nunoo-Mensah believes that both of the main political parties – the National Democratic Congress and New Patriotic Party – have failed to transform Ghana’s fortunes to make them benefit the majority of citizens.

He is unhappy that most young people who have graduated from tertiary institutions in this country are still struggling to find employment.

Founded by Reverend Christian Kwabena Andrews, the Ghana Union Movement has a campaign message focusing on industrialisation and job creation.

The GUM became the first political party to outdoor its manifesto in February, well ahead of the general election in December.

Fred Dzakpata

* Asaase Radio 99.5 – tune in or log on to broadcasts online.
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