About the Author
I am Ŋutifafa Kristo Kofi, a professional teacher, and a vibrant youth and staunch NDC activist from the Ho West Constituency. During the period, 2017-2018, I assisted Lawyer Eric Delanyo Aliƒo to mobilize about ten thousand youth in the Ho West Constituency to become registered members of the NDC. Many of them became branch and constituency executives subsequently. I also became a branch Youth Organizer, and later a Branch Chairman currently at Government Clinic in Abutia Kloe. I am presently, the Oti Regional Coordinator for the Young Professionals Forum of the NDC PROFORUM. I was also a former Deputy Secretary of TEIN in the Jasikan College of Education.
Having worked with lawyer Alifo during his historic and unprecedented mobilization of the youth for NDC in the Ho West Constituency, and on his two parliamentary-primary campaigns in the last few years, I believe I have known him adequately enough to call and describe him as a boss of whom I am very proud. I usually write about him regularly without seeking his consent. He would normally chance on my stories about him on social media and be surprised about them.
I am again writing this piece about him without first seeking his permission, though I am not sure what his reaction to this one will be since it is a completely different kind of writeup, which he may feel uncomfortable about. That notwithstanding, I shall do what I think is necessary.
My Initial Closeness to Lawyer Eric Delanyo Alice
Though also a relation, I first knew lawyer Aliƒo better when not very long after he had returned from law school in the US and a brief working assignment with the United Nations in Liberia, he was appointed as chairman of the planning committee of the E.P. Church, Ghana of Abutia Kloe 125th Anniversay Celebration. He delivered excellently on this assignment to the admiration of all. His endearing demeanour and service has since drawn me and others closer to him.
Educational and Work Experience
Lawyer Aliƒo obtained a B.Sc. (Hons) in Land Economy from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology after which he studied law at Thomas M. Cooley Law School in the United States, and was called to the Bar in New York and New Jersey, before he returned to Ghana and subsequently admitted to the bar in Ghana.
He had career stints with the UN in Liberia; Baltimore Public Defender’s Office; the Volta River Authority (VRA); AB & David Law; among others. He is the Founder of the private legal aid scheme, HelpLaw Ghana, which he founded over 14 years ago to provide free legal services to the poor and less-priveleged people in Ghana. Lawyer Alifo also served as Counsel and Researcher for the Constitution Review Commission established by the late President Mills before he moved to run his private legal aid scheme fully, and engage in some private practice.
Party Activism Before the Author became Acquainted to Lawyer Aliƒo
The man Aliƒo has been in the thick of things with regard to party activism way before I came to know him well. He had been the first Secretary of TEIN during his university days at KNUST. He was also a regular participant in party Congresses, and an active campaigner for the party before his departure for law school in the United States in 2002. Lawyer Aliƒo was instrumental in bringing many people into the fold of the NDC, some of whom have played many active roles, including occupying various positions in the party.
My Personal Relationship and Closeness to Lawyer Alice
Like it is normally said, _everything good attracts attention._ Lawyer Aliƒo became known to me better when I had the chance to listen to his vision for the people, especially the youth of the Ho West Constituency. In fact, this encounter changed my perception about the kind of leadership we have been experiencing in the district. In 2017, a year before, the NDC would announce a roadmap to reorganize the party, Lawyer Aliƒo had singlehandedly committed funds and other resources into the mobilization of the youth in Ho West to support the party and his parliamentary bid in 2019.
The unprecedented mobilization in Ho West changed the outlook of the party forever, and put the youth in charge of the party almost everywhere in the constituency. He faced a lot of intimidation and threats including an attempt to expel him from the party in the constituency. But he persevered. At the time, the status quo felt threatened by the awakening he was offering the youth. I am one of the numerous beneficiaries of his instrumentality in mobilising support for the party and its growth.
His Journey and Experience in the Politics of Ho West
He filed nomination and contested against all odds and machinations in the party primaries held in 2019. Though he lost the primaries for obvious reasons, he put all aside and launched a spirited and vigorous campaign for both the party and the incumbent MP to the admiration and surprise of many people.
He, together with us in his inner circles had to make interventions in some communities including which had threatened that they would not vote for the party’s parliamentary candidate. These are verifiable facts. He has never reneged in his obligations and commitment to the NDC.
Unwavering Inspiration, Commitment and Dedication to the NDC
It is said of cowards that they flee at the first unsuccessful attempt. This uncertainty is never a hallmark of my dignified boss, Lawyer Eric Delanyo Aliƒo. After his first unsuccessful attempt at the primaries, he put himself up again for the second time. This time too, the circumstances and dynamics did not favour him very well. He did not flee the scene but girded up for the war against the superincompetent NPP government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
This time, he embarked on solo and group campaigns. He was involved in several media campaigns including radio and TV interviews and submissions all over. His activism in Abutia his home even got him into a clash with some notable powerful NPP leaders in Abutia. But he persisted to the end. He is not a coward who is easily cowed into submission. His exploits during the just ended campaign within the Ho West Constituency has been very rewarding in particular for the incumbent MP, Hon Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah. The MP can attest to this fact.
My boss, has also inspired NDC members in Ho West Constituency and beyond by being a member of the party’s National Communication Team, and having been on national TV and radio constantly, campaigning for the comeback of H.E John Dramani Mahama and Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
A Rare Breed Who Possesses Unique Values and Qualities
Many of us were brought up or raised and have since become accustomed to the conventional ways of doing things. This kind of posturing has been the Achilles heels of many people and the NDC as a whole. My boss, Esquire Aliƒo is however different. He is strongly opinionated and very assertive in his thoughts. He is not a subscriber to conventional ways, especially those that do not yield results. He believes in doing things differently and he has been successful in upholding this value.
Despite being very assertive, he allows those he works with to make inputs. He allows varied opinion from anyone and everyone he works with. His spiritedness and strong sense of viewpoint is by far what we need as NDC to fight the NPP. This was demonstrated by many of our folks across the ranks, especially in the communication department of the NDC. Lawyer Aliƒo is a member of NDC lawyers, and also the President of LINSOD, which many heard of the first time only after he became its President a little over one year ago, although it is believed that LINSOD had been in existence for 20 years or more earlier.
The Grassroots’ Favourite
This man is very honest and fearless, but respectful and humble with enormous leadership qualities. He commands respect across the whole Volta Region. He has always fought systems and regimes which are unfriendly to the generality of the public. He was very instrumental in the inclusion of several thousands of youths as registered members of the NDC in 2018 when they were being denied membership. He provided legal representation for some of them who defied odds to demand for their rightful inclusion but were processed for court. After a year or more, he secured freedom for these youth. This is the man Aliƒo.
The Jigsaw Between the Old and New Generations
His grassroots qualities make him the go-to person for the youth. He is the Deputy Director of Legal for the NDC-PROFORUM. However, he is very popular among the Young Professionals of the PROFORUM, and members adore and admire him greatly. The youth of Ho West including his fiercest critics will affirm that he is that jigsaw between the past and the present. He is always welcoming and open to the younger generation who learn much from him. He is our mentor.
During the just ended electioneering campaign, he was neck-deep in several activities. He trained polling agents in three constituencies, namely, Adansi Asokwa; Upper Manya Krobo; and Ada Constituencies. During that period, he made great sacrifices, and he lost valuable property and resources in the process.
On election day, he was again deployed in Adansi Asokwa Constituency, having voted by proxy. He was arguably instrumental in annexing the Adansi Asokwa parliamentary seat there from K.T. Hammond. We have admirably seen videos and photographs of his combativeness at the collation center far away from his own constituency, and we were overjoyed.
The Expectations of the People of Ho West, and Volta Region
With NDC’s emphatic victory on December 7th, everyone in the Ho West Constituency, and perhaps many in the Volta Region and beyond presume that Lawyer Aliƒo shall be given an appointment. He is already being celebrated in the constituency. But in his modesty, he tells us, his followers, to manage our expectations about an appointment for him.
It is believed that it is not his nature to push or lobby too much for appointment. Considering how long he has been active and around in the NDC, and with his tremendous record, it makes a whole lot of sense that he had not been given an appointment in any of our previous governments. He is indeed, selfless and just seeking the best interest of the party and its youthful supporters.
We seem more hopeful than he does that he shall have an appointment this time round. We believe he more than deserves it, and we shall be motivated greatly if it materializes. Our hope is born out of the belief that whether political appointments are intended for those who have laboured and worked very hard for their parties, or for those who are competent and qualified for the positions, or for both, Lawyer Eric Delanyo Aliƒo satisfies both conditions adequately.
This is the man I present to you, readers. In LAWYER ERIC DELANYO ALIƑO we trust.
Thank you.
*Ŋutifafa Kristo Kofi*
*Chairman, Government Clinic, Abutia Kloe*
*Regional Coordinator of YPF, Oti*
*Youth Activist*
*0200789611/0244723987*
