The leader of the National Interest Movement (NIM), Dr. Michael Abu Sakara Foster, has stated that Ghana is in a deep economic crisis as a lot of macroeconomic indicators are gradually deteriorating.
He highlighted the need to address the increasing social tension, unemployment, and the growing gap between the rich and the poor to facilitate development. He argued that resolving these issues will give people a sense of hope.
“There’s a lack of unity and cohesion in the society. It seems that we are becoming ‘the others and us’, so it is very important that in addressing the hard issues in the economy, we address also the social issues and that also gives a sense of inclusion… These are things that ordinary people feel”.
Dr. Michael Abu Sakara Foster
Furthermore, he indicated that there is a general sense of hopelessness in Ghanaians due to the constant disenchantment they feel concerning leadership and development in the country.
He noted that Ghana needs a transformative change that moves the country from one level of development to another, indicating that there is a need for a change in governance to offer an opportunity for change that positively impacts growth and development.
Dr. Abu Sakara noted that the Alliance for Revolutionary Change (ARC), formed by the Movement for Change (M4C), National Interest Movement (NIM), and other groups is an effort that seeks to address the socio-economic challenges of the country and also offer an alternative to Ghanaians to choose from.
He indicated that the purpose of forming the Alliance was to find a progressive transformative change that works best for the country, arguing that the Alliance was built on the need to turn away from the stagnation that has characterized Ghana’s political sphere in the Fourth Republic.
Moreover, he noted that what brought the NIM and the M4C together despite the different ideological backgrounds of him and Alan Kyerematen is the need to defeat the ideas of political partisanship which he (Dr. Sakara) argued is at the helm of the country’s socio-political and economic challenges.
“We needed to be able to think in a more open, transparent, and freer way to be able to address the key issues that were impeding our progress. That progressiveness in looking for something different, that desire to think outside the box led us to a union of mind”.
Dr. Michael Abu Sakara Foster
Forming The Alliance
Furthermore, Dr. Sakara revealed that he and the leader of Movement for Change, Alan Kyeremanten have had talks about the progressive transformation of Ghana long before the idea to form the Alliance was formed.
He disclosed that he had his first encounter with Alan Kyeremanten when the former was still in the New Patriotic Party (NPP), however, the ideas and plans he had for the development of the country encouraged him to partner with him after the former left the NPP.
He indicated that while the M4C leader was focused on his Presidential candidature, the NIM’s main aim was to secure seats in Parliament.
He argued that their divergent goals brought them together with the view that the Parliamentary candidates from the NIM would complement Alan Kyremanten’s Presidential candidature and vice-versa under the ARC umbrella.
“For the 2024 elections, basically we have agreed to form an electoral alliance, this is what the MoU is about. Together we can reinforce each other’s strength and see how we can make a dent in this next election to bring about a change in the political landscape. Whatever gains we make set the foundation to build that alternative to NDC, NPP that we have been talking about”.
Dr. Michael Abu Sakara Foster
Dr. Sakara emphasized that the Alliance will build an alternative that offers more to Ghanaians than the NDC and the NPP offer. He argued that the difference the Alliance brings on board is that it does not focus on the idea of status and position, rather it focuses on what each individual has to offer for the growth of the country.
Conclusively, Dr. Abu Sakara noted that the Alliance is centered on what it will deliver concerning governance, emphasizing that it is focused on undertaking reforms in governance to ensure that Ghana’s investment in development gives higher returns than the NDC or the NPP has ever recorded.
READ ALSO: Small Firms In Ghana Thrive Through Apprenticeship Programs
