The Group Chief Executive Officer of Databank Ghana, Kojo Addae-Mensah, has backed Desmond Decker’s bid to become a member of the Council of State.
The 24-year-old journalist with Accra-based Class91.3FM on Tuesday January 17 picked a form at the Electoral Commission’s Accra office to contest to become a member of the Council of State to advise President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Mr Decker will become Ghana’s youngest member of the Council of State if he is voted for by an electoral college.
Speaking to Mr Decker in Accra, Mr Addae-Mensah encouraged him to go all out and expressed his confidence in his (Desmond Decker’s) abilities to give the president a youthful perspective on policies and programmes if he gets the nod.
“Dominic Nitiwul was Member of Parliament at what age? He was in his 20s when he became MP. Once the constitution says if you are 18 years you can do something, you can do it except being president – that…you have to be 40 – and so for me he is not young at all,” Mr Addae-Mensah stated.
“Actually, come to think of it, the Council of State probably needs some young guys in there so that when the president goes to consult the Council of State, he can be told what the youth think of a policy or something that he wants to implement. Usually, the perception is that the Council of State should be some bunch of grey-haired men who have seen life before but they are probably out of touch with reality and may not counsel the president properly in certain areas. I think there is a balance required, so if you want to go and stand I will give you all the support and wish you and encourage you to go and do it and if you get in there, I think it will be good for the president.”
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission has closed nominations for election of regional representatives to the Council of State and 18 persons have picked forms to contest for the Greater Accra Regional slot.
The process opened on Tuesday January 17 for prospective candidates to pick forms and ended at 5:00pm Thursday January 19. It follows the expiration of the term of the previous Council of State on January 6, 2017.
Source: Ghana/AccraFM.com
