I have wealth of experience to be NDC General Secretary – Elvis

“I have wealth of experience in politics to occupy the National Democratic Congress (NDC) General Secretary position,” Mr. Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, an aspirant has declared.

Mr. Ankrah said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during the Greater Accra Regional Delegates Conference of NDC, at the Tema Sports Stadium, at which regional executives were elected.

He said his political journey had given him the experience adding that he cut across all generations and classes and, therefore, believed that he would be elected the General Secretary during their congress.

He stated that he started his political career from the University of Ghana as the Student Representative Council’s President and became the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) Coordinating Secretary as well as contested a parliamentary seat in 2000.

Mr. Afriyie-Ankrah said in 2002, he became the Deputy Campaign Manager for the late President Professor John Evans Atta Mills, during the party’s primaries, and subsequently served as the Deputy Campaign Manager for the main elections.

He added: “In 2005 at the Koforidua congress I was elected overwhelmingly as the Deputy General Secretary and I was put in charge of operations and then after that, I became the Deputy Minister for Local Government.

“I also served as a Minister; I did not forget the party. I created space in my schedules for party people, I engaged them, so they don’t forget, they remember,” he said.

He noted that after the death of Prof Mills, he became the Campaign Coordinator for former President John Dramani Mahama and in three months led the campaign to win the election in record time.

Mr Afriyie-Ankrah said among his wealth of experience was becoming a Minister of Sports and a Minister of State at the office of the President.

“I was also the Director of Elections for the NDC,” he said, adding, “So I believe I have a wealth of experience in party organisation, party administration, elections, campaign, and strategies, and I have also a good relationship with the rank and file of the party.

“I have a personal relationship with party members.”

Mr. Afriyie-Ankrah added that he represented a certain transitional generation as he worked closely with the late former President Rawlings, former President Mills, and former President Mahama.

He said: “Religiously, I also have a good relationship and I am cordially related to both the Christian, Muslim, and traditional communities, as well as civil society organizations.

“I am half Ga, Ewe, Asante. I speak many languages, so I’m able to communicate effectively with people from all walks of life, and that puts me ahead of my competitors.”