Okaikoi charges NDC delegates to vote for diversity, corporate leadership

Outsiders perceive him as an underdog, but insiders call him the David to down many Goliaths in the battle for National Democratic Congress (NDC) vice chairmanship position; this is how Andrew Okaikoi described himself as the competition heats up.

He will be going up against 16 others in Kumasi on 20th December, the date slated for the election of national executives of the ruling party, with the exception of the election of the Women and Youth Organisers, which will come off on December 6.

“The NDC needs diversity, contemporary and corporate leadership that will augment business opportunities for the grassroots and I will propel the current generation for selfless leadership towards the continuity of the NDC,” Mr. Okaikoi told myjoyonline.com.

Andrew Okaikoi who joined the NDC in August 1992 recognised that the revival of the party spirit, especially those of the youth and women who constitute the bulk of the grassroots will be the bane of NDC’s victory in 2016.

Identifying himself as a grassroots person by character and passion, he described persons at the grassroots as the DNA of the NDC and called for their empowerment.

When elected as the party’s Vice Chairman, Mr. Okaikoi said social inclusion would be high on his agenda, ensuring that every member participates in the decision making process of the party.

The entrepreneur and human rights advocate asserted that he is “a result oriented and pro-active person whose ultimate ambition in life is to be remembered in whatever he does”.

Mr. Andrew Okaikoi was the first Board Chairman for the National Disability Council when it was incepted in 2009. He got GHANA to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and also the drafting of the Legislative Instrument for ACT 715, during his tenure in office.

He takes pride in mentoring several youths whom, he said, have assumed leadership roles in various levels in the party, and he promised to actively do same.

BRIEF POLITICAL PROFILE
There comes a time in the life of every political dispensation where people are elected to take the mantle of leadership. It is against this backdrop that we humbly present to you Andrew Nii Okaikoi for the position of National Vice Chairman. The NDC needs Diversity, Contemporary and Corporate leadership that will augment business opportunities for the grassroots and he believes he will propel the current generation for selfless leadership towards the continuity of the NDC.

Andrew Okaikoi joined the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in August 1992, a few days after its formation. Simultaneously, he became the Koforidua House Branch Secretary and Mataheko Ward Secretary both in the Ablekuma Central Constituency of the Greater Accra Region. His voluntary decision to join the NDC during this era of multi party democracy stems from the fact that the principles and ideals of the party are grounded on the sound tenets of social democracy, probity, accountability, rule of law, etc.

Between 1992 – 2000, he worked closely with the Late Hon. Nii Adjei Sikan of blessed memory who was then the Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku Constituency in the Greater Accra Region. he made it a personal mission to encourage, support and groom young men and women to leverage their ideals to the NDC. His wife, Mrs. Zita Okaikoi is a classical example of those he introduced and meticulously groomed into politics. The rest including persons he encouraged and supported in diverse ways would want to remain anonymous, at least for now. They hold leadership roles in Branch, Ward, Constituency, Regional and National Executive positions across the country in the NDC.

His gratification however is the fact that these individuals are unreservedly channelling their energies, experiences and expertise to champion and espouse the ideals of the NDC in prosecuting the Better Ghana Agenda. He adopted constituencies like the Odododiodio, Okaikoi North, Dome Kwabenya and Upper Manya Krobo constituencies over the years. His technical and logistical support to them went a long way in the party’s quest to strongly come out of opposition. His motivation was to help bring back to power the party capable of providing educational, social and economic development thereby bettering the lot of the ordinary Ghanaian.

In 2007, he mentored about 500 young men and women to champion the Late Prof. Mills Door to Door Campaign in the Dome – Kwabenya Constituency. His ability to get Zita Okaikoi nominated as an unopposed Parliamentary candidate in the 2008 elections greatly inured to the party’s benefit. Per the dynamics in this constituency and as compared to the 2004 parliamentary elections, the NDC minimised the votes of the NPP to the tune of about 6000 as revealed by statistics. Difficult as it may seem, it is his hope that the NDC would annex this seat in the near future.

He also launched the Disable for Atta Mills Campaign during the 2008 general elections on the basis of social democracy and equity which ensured the disable fraternity massively voted for President Atta Mills. This he did with the support of other physically challenged individuals. He was made the Chairman of the Disability Council in 2009 and it was during my tenure that the Ghana Government ratified the United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons With Disability.

His passion and commitment to the ideals and cause of the NDC party over the years remain incontestable and unflinching. Against all odds he unanimously won the Okaikoi North Constituency Parliamentary Primaries in 2011.  This constituency went into hibernation after the victory of the party in the 2008 elections but his traversing of the nook and crevices to touch base with party members in the wards reinvigorated the dormant branches. He later had to relinquish that elected position when CI 75 was passed into law for the unity and betterment of the party in the 2012 General elections. This he did with one thing in mind, the NDC surpasses any individual or group interest.

Andrew Okaikoi holds a first degree from the University of Ghana in Political Science, he has various academic certificates from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, Harvard University’s John Kennedy School of Governance and he is currently pursuing his Masters in Human Rights Law at the University of Ghana

In private lifehe is/was
Chairperson, Gravitas Foundation
Chief Executive Officer, VTB Capital Ghana
General Manager, Excelsoir Group (Accra, Ghana)
Facility Manager, Old Continent Trading Inc. (New York, United Sates Of America

Estate And Property Supervisor, Gold Island Ltd, Durrington Tower, United Kingdom

Corporate Manager Drewklan Travel, Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com| Isaac Essel | isaac.essel@myjoyonline.com | twitter @isaacessel