RE: FALSE CLAIMS LINKING ME TO CHARLES OPOKU’S STATEMENTS AGAINST HON. KEN OHENE AGYAPONG
My attention has been drawn to a graphic being circulated online, attempting to link me to the views and actions of Mr. Charles Opoku simply because of an old photograph. Let me state emphatically and for the record:
That, the photograph was taken in 2022, during the period I was campaigning to become the General Secretary of our party. Mr. Opoku, like many other party members and well-wishers, visited my office, and we took a picture, as is customary in politics and social interactions.
Lawyer Justin Frimpong Kodua, NPP General Secretary
To suggest that a photograph implies sanctioning or influence over someone’s actions is not only intellectually dishonest but a dangerous precedent that cheapens political discourse. If we begin to interpret every picture as a political endorsement or conspiracy, then nearly every personality in our party would be implicated in every action taken by anyone they’ve ever taken a photo with.
Let us rise above this kind of gutter politics. Our party is built on values, ideas, and service, not whisper campaigns, false associations, and fabricated tensions. I have not, and will never, encourage or condone attacks on any member of our party, including Hon. Ken Ohene Agyapong.
ADVICE TO PARTY FAITHFUL AND MEDIA PLATFORMS
Let us focus on unity, maturity, and principled politics as we head into a crucial election season. I urge all party communicators and sympathizers to desist from divisive tactics and concentrate on the message of hope, development, and transformation that the NPP stands for.
Open Letter To National Chairman & General Secretary
Dear Sir,
Subject: Let’s build a Stronger Party Before electing a Flagbearer: Why NPP Must Reject Top-Down Flagbearer First Proposals.
As a committed member of the New Patriotic Party and in my capacity as Deputy Protocol Director, I strongly oppose the proposal suggesting that the NPP should elect its flagbearer first before electing other internal party positions. This idea not only contradicts our long-standing democratic traditions but also threatens to erode the very foundation upon which our party was built — the grassroots.
Kwabena Frimpong
Undermining Grassroots Participation
The strength of the NPP lies in its vibrant and committed base, starting from the polling stations, through the electoral areas, constituencies, regions and National. Our traditional approach electing party officers from the bottom up ensures that the decision-making power begins with the grassroots. Electing a flagbearer first reverses this structure and effectively sidelines the voice of the grassroots, weakening the democratic spirit that weaken the NPP democratical principles of the party.
Risk of Imposed Leadership
When a flagbearer is elected before the party’s base structures are fully formed or renewed, it opens the door for favoritism, manipulation, and potential imposition of preferred candidates on the rank-and-file.
This top-down method creates a power imbalance, where the chosen flagbearer may unduly influence the selection of party executives at all other levels whom are perceived his supporters eroding fairness and trust in the process.
All prospective aspirants perceived to be anti the Flagbearer would be sidelined in the internal election leading to more division in the party
Conflicts of Interest and Internal Disunity
Historically, the NPP has avoided internal strife by allowing the party to rebuild its structures before choosing its Flagbearer. If we flip the order and select a flagbearer first, we risk deepening factionalism within the party, as aspirants may attempt to use their influence to install loyalists across various levels, rather than focusing on building a united and efficient party machinery.
Institutional Precedent Matters
Our electoral tradition has always prioritized party organization before presidential ambitions. This structure is not only time-tested but also designed to produce a well-prepared, organized, and united front. Changing the process arbitrarily — particularly to favor a few individuals — could set a dangerous precedent where party rules are bent for political convenience.
Organizational Efficiency and Mobilization
A solid and legitimate executive base across all levels is necessary to mobilize effectively for any national election. Without elected local and regional executives, a flagbearer will lack the full support structure needed to launch a cohesive and effective campaign. Electing executives first ensures the flagbearer inherits a functional and representative party ready for battle.
Electing Party Executives before the Flagbearer would enhance check and balances
When the party executives are elected before the Flagbearer, there would be proper check and balances when setting up the National Campaign team and Manifesto committee to avoid a one sided team filled with only loyalists of the Flagbearer but a United campaign team even with members from the Flagbearers opposing teams members.
Finally, as a proud member and servant of this great party, I believe it is in the best interest of the NPP to uphold its tradition of bottom-up leadership selection which has been done from the formation of the party in 1992. We must resist attempts to centralize power and instead trust the structures that have guided us to four(4) presidential electoral victories time and time again. Let us continue to build the party from the grassroots which would be strong, united, and prepared for election 2028 before we choose our next Flagbearer, no one begins building a house by installing the roof before laying the foundation. To construct a solid house, you must start from the ground up not top down.
By Kwaku Amoh-Darteh, Esq.
May 7, 2025
In the heart of the Earth’s embrace, where ancient wisdom converges with untold potential, there lies a country that some might overlook—and yet, one that holds in its soil, air, and soul, the very answers to its own future. Ghana.
To the untrained eye, it may seem like another African country; to the discerning visionaries, however, it is a treasure chest, long ignored. And there stands a man—Kennedy Ohene Agyapong—whose entire being vibrates with the undeniable truth: Ghana is not poor. It is simply waiting to awaken. Waiting for those who dare to see its riches and its promise not as a question, but as an answer.
Kwaku Amoh-Darteh, Esq. Mr.Kennedy Ohene Agyapong
Like the Western Apache elders in Keith Basso’s Wisdom Sits in Places, Agyapong sees that wisdom is not abstract; it sits in the land, in the people, in every corner of the earth beneath his feet. Cocoa, cashew, sugarcane, cassava, rice, and palm nut—these aren’t just crops. They are potential. They are power. They are what Ghana holds within itself, what could catapult the country into the future.
But this is not just about planting seeds. This is about reimagining them. The true genius of Ken Agyapong’s vision lies in his understanding that value addition—transforming raw material into finished goods—will be the beating heart of Ghana’s economic renaissance. He doesn’t just want cocoa beans exported—he wants chocolate bars, he wants oils, he wants products that carry Ghanaian pride and prosperity from the soil to the shelves of the world.
But there’s more. Much more.
What if I told you that Ghana—this nation sitting on the edge of the Gulf of Guinea—is the closest landmass to the very center of the Earth? A place so powerful that the Prime Meridian passes through its shores in Tema. Did you know that Ghana is located a mere five degrees north of the Equator? A geographical advantage so profound, it could easily elevate Ghana from a developing country to a globally recognized hub of tourism, science, and innovation.
Ken Agyapong’s vision takes us here: “If Mount Everest can draw adventurers from across the world, why can’t the center of the Earth draw thinkers, dreamers, and travelers?” Imagine it—a monument in Tema, marking the convergence of the globe’s invisible lines, standing as a testament not only to Ghana’s geographical importance but as a place of global pilgrimage, a beacon of discovery.
This is not some fleeting fantasy. This is a call to action—a reminder that Ghana’s potential isn’t something hidden far away. It is here, nestled in the geography and in the cultural heartbeat of the nation. Ken Agyapong’s focus isn’t just on the future; it’s on rediscovering and reclaiming what was always here, waiting to be recognized.
Yet, as Basso understood, wisdom does not merely sit in the land—it lives in the people. In the very hearts of Ghanaians, who have, for generations, endured and persevered through adversity. Ken Agyapong calls upon this spirit—the spirit of self-reliance, the spirit of innovation, and the spirit of pride. He asks the youth to return to the soil, not in defeat, but as creators of their own opportunities. To him, the true measure of patriotism isn’t just waving a flag; it is about transforming that land into a place where dreams are not only imagined but realized.
Through his ventures—business, education, and philanthropy—Ken Agyapong is proving this vision. He has never merely spoken of what Ghana can be—he has acted. He has built schools, created jobs, and invested in a future that places the power firmly in the hands of Ghanaians.
And so, it is with boldness and clarity that he says: the wisdom that guides us is not found in far-off places. It is found in us, in our will to act, to believe, to build. It sits in the people, in their resilience, in their ability to see beyond the immediate and into the long-term horizon.
In Ken Agyapong, Ghana has a leader who doesn’t just look at what is, but sees what could be. He doesn’t just hear the call of the future—he answers it, with every step he takes.
The question now is: are we ready to listen to the land, to the wisdom sitting in the people, to the promise of tomorrow?
Because when all is said and done, the greatest wisdom isn’t knowing what is already in front of us—it’s understanding the potential that lies waiting to be claimed.
The First Meeting of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana commenced on Tuesday, 7th January 2025, and ended on Saturday, 29th March 2025.
The House held Forty-Three (43) Sittings within eleven weeks, performing its deliberative, representational, oversight, and legislative functions, among others.
This Meeting of the First Session was quite long and characterised by many parliamentary-related activities. This article highlights some of the activities during the Meeting under review.
Presentation of Business
Some parliamentary Businesses were carried out, including the presentation of Papers, reading of Bills, presentation of Regulations, Constitutional and Legislative Instruments, referrals to Committees, reports from Committees of the House, Ministries, Departments, and other agencies.,
Rt.Hon.Alban K. S.Bagbin,Speaker A File photo of Parliament
Bills
A total of 18Bills were presented to the House during the First Meeting, namely Electronic Transfer Levy (Repeal) Bill, 2025; Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2025;Revenue Administration (Amendment) Bill, 2025;Special Import Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Emissions Levy (Repeal) Bill, 2025; Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Growth and Sustainability Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Earmarked Funds Capping and Realignment (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Ghana Gold Board Bill, 2025; Energy Sector Levy Bill, 2025;Ghana Gold Board Bill, 2025; Public Financial Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Minerals Income Investment Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Petroleum Revenue Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Ghana Cocoa Board (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Public Procurement Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025; and the Appropriation Bill, 2025. Out of the 18 Bills read, 16 were passed by the House during the Meeting. The passed Bills are the Electronic Transfer Levy (Repeal) Bill, 2025; Revenue Administration (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Emissions Levy (Repeal) Bill, 2025; Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Special Import Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Growth and Sustainability Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Energy Sector Levy Bill, 2025;the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Earmarked Funds Capping and Realignment (Amendment) Bill, 2025;the Public Procurement Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Minerals Income Investment Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2025;the Petroleum Revenue Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Public Financial Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025;the Appropriation Bill, 2025; and the Ghana Gold Board Bill, 2025.
Regulations
OneRegulation, the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025, was presented to the House and referred to the Committee on Subsidiary Legislation.
Annual Reports
Four (4)Annual Reports from different Government agencies were presented to the House during this Meeting. They were Annual Reports on the Petroleum Funds for the 2024 Fiscal Year, the Collection and Utilisation of the African Union Import Levy for the 2024 Fiscal Year, the District Assemblies Common Fund for the year 2023, and the Staffing Position of the Office of the President for the Period 1st January to 31st December 2024.
Committee Reports
Seventy-two (72)Committee reports were submitted to the House by various Committees of the House for consideration and adoption. All the reports that were submitted were duly debatedand adopted by the House.
Auditor-General’s Report
The House considered one (1) Auditor-General’s Report. The report was on the Statements of Foreign Exchange Receipts and Payments of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) for the half-year ended 30th June 2024.
Leadership Reports
One report from Leadership on the Formula for the Composition of Parliamentary Delegations,and other Parliamentary Groups and Associations was presented to the House on Tuesday, 25th March, 2025.
Message on the State of the Nation
On Thursday, 27th February, 2025, and in accordance with article 67 of the 1992 Constitution and Standing Order 72 (1), the President of the Republic, H. E. John Dramani Mahama, presented to Parliament a Message on the State of the Nation. Members had the opportunity to make comments in support of the Message of the President.
Ministerial and other Appointments
During the First Meeting, the President nominated 56 persons for appointment as Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and Members of Cabinet. The Appointments Committee held public hearings to vet all the nominees, and they were approved by the House even though the Minority Caucus abstained from some of the approvals. During the public hearing of the Appointments Committee, there were a lot of misunderstandings that led to disruptions. The Rt. Hon. Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbinsuspended four (4) Members of Parliament for two weeks andset up a Committee to investigate the chaos during the vetting. The suspended MPs were the Majority Chief Whip and MP for South Dayi, Mr Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor, the Minority Chief Whip and MP for Nsawam-Adoagyri, Mr Frank AnnohDompreh, the MP for Gushiegu, Mr Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana, and the MP for Weija-Gbawe, Mr Jerry Ahmed Shaib.
Presentation of Budget Statement and Economic Policy
In line with article 179 of the 1992 Constitution and section 21 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921), the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, presented the 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament on Tuesday, 11th March 2025.
Members of Parliament from both Sides of the House took turns to comment on the Budget Statement and later passed the Appropriation Bill.
Motions
One Hundred and Thirty-four (134)Motions were moved and adopted by the House during the Meeting. The Motions were mainly on the following: Adoption of the Annual Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government for 2025, adoption of Committee reports on the 2024 Annual Budget Estimates, motions for Second and Third Reading of Bills, motion to adopt His Excellency the President’s nomination of Ministers and Deputy Ministers.
Questions
A total of fifty-two (52)questions were asked by Members of Parliament and answered by Ministers of State on the floor of the House. Hon Members were furtherallowed to ask supplementary questions relating to the subject matter.
Statements
Ninety-four (94) Statements were made by Ministers and Members of Parliament to commemorate important national and international events, draw the attention of the House to issues of public importance, and Government Policies.
Communication from the President
The House received a total of fourteen (14)Communications from the Office of the President of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama,during the Meeting.These communications were to inform the Rt Hon Speaker and the House of the absence of H. E. The President from the country, the nomination of Ministers and Deputy Ministers, and other appointments.
Committee Sittings
The House recordedseventy-three (73)Committee meetings. These meetings were held to consider Bills, vet ministerial nominees, consider budget estimates,and other issues of public concern.
Change in Leadership
On Thursday, 23rd January 2025, the Rt Hon Speaker, pursuant to Order 67(1)(r), informed the House of a communication from the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), designating the following Hon Members to leadership positions on the Majority Front Bench in the Ninth Parliament. Hon. Mahama Ayariga, Majority Leader;Hon. George Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, Deputy Majority Leader; Hon. Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor, Majority Chief Whip;Hon. Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe, First Deputy Majority Whip; and Hon. Richard Acheampong, Second Deputy Majority Whip.
Similarly, there were changes in the Minority front bench, with the following Hon Members assuming leadership positions in the Ninth Parliament. Hon. Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, Minority Leader;Hon. Patricia Appiagyei, Deputy Minority Leader; Hon. Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Minority Chief Whip;Hon. Habib Iddrisu, First Deputy Majority Whip; and Hon Jerry Ahmed Shaib, Second Deputy Majority Whip.
Adjournment
The Rt. Hon. Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Majority Leader,Mr Mahama Ayariga, and the Minority Leader, Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin made their closing remarks to thank the First and Second Deputy Speakers,MrBernardAhiafor and Mr Andrew Asiamah Amoako and Hon Members for working hard and contributing to the Business of the House during the Meeting.
Even though the First Meeting of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament was scheduled to adjournsine die on Friday, 28th March 2025, the House was officially adjourned sine die by the Rt. Hon. Speaker on Saturday, 29th March, 2025.
The Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana),has expressed worry about the increase of Ghanaians support for military rule, especially if the democratic elected leaders failed to deliver to expectations.
The key findings of Round 10 Afrobaromter say “by large majorities of Ghanaians support democracy and reject authoritarian alternatives .However, though rejection of military rule trumps support for it by almost 2 to 1,support for military rule has been increasing steadily since 2012,reaching 33 % in 2024.
The report explained that, fewer than half (47%) of Ghanaians say the Ghana Armed Forces should never intervene in the country’s political processes ,an 8- percentage –point decrease compared to 2022 (55 %).
Discussants of the key findings of the survey
The key findings pointed out that, solid majorities endorse the rule of law, asserting that the President must obey the courts and submit to Parliamentary oversight.
The frobarometer is Pan-African,non-partisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy ,governance, and quality of life.
With the goal to give African publics a voice in policy and decision making.
A section of participants in the event
The nine survey rounds in up to 42 countries, have been completed since 1999.Round 10 surveys were launched in January,2024.
The Afrobarometer findings by CDD-Ghana,data collection for Round 10 started 5 August and ended 22nd August,2024.
The sample size of 2,400 yielded country -level results with a margin of sampling error of +/or -2 percent with 98 % confidence level.
The survey, which was presented during a regional dissemination of Ghana Afro barometer round 10 survey findings at Silicon hotel,Kumasi on April 23, 2025, reveals that, while a majority of Ghanaians support democracy and reject authoritarian alternatives, there are concerns about the country’s democratic progress.
Madam Mavis Zupork Dome,Senior Research Analyst /National Investigator Afro barometer -Ghana survey,CDC Ghana, who shares the highlights said a large majority of Ghanaians support democracy and reject authoritarian alternatives.
The survey, also explored Ghanaians’ views on the role of the military in politics.
The findings indicate that, fewer than half (47%) of Ghanaians believe that, the Ghana Armed Forces should never intervene in the country’s political processes. This, represents an 8 percentage point decrease compared to 2022 (55%). The survey’s findings on this issue are concerning, as they suggest that some Ghanaians may be open to the idea of military intervention in politics.
However, the survey also found that satisfaction with Ghana’s democracy has declined significantly since 2017. The findings indicate that satisfaction with democracy, has dropped by 29 percentage points since 2017.
Besides,he survey found that assessments of Ghana as “a full democracy” or “a democracy with minor problems” have declined by 20 percentage points since 2017.
The survey ,also explored Ghanaians’ perceptions of governance in the country. The findings indicate that many Ghanaians believe that officials who commit crimes often go unpunished, judges and magistrates prioritize political influence over the law, and people are treated unequally under the law. These perceptions are concerning, as they suggest that Ghanaians may be losing trust in the country’s institutions.
The Afrobarometer survey provides valuable insights into Ghanaians’ views on democracy and governance. While the survey’s findings are concerning, they also highlight the need for policymakers and civil society organizations to address the challenges facing Ghana’s democracy. By working together, Ghanaians can strengthen their democratic institutions and promote good governance in the country.
1) Prof Mike Oquaye’s Committee has presented its Report to the National Council of NPP, and made recommendations on account of its interactions with the Party at the grassroot and other levels. The purpose of the entire exercise was to identify what were the causes; and what and who were responsible for the causes of the disastrous performance of the Party;
2)The whats and the whos were to help us uncover the wounds, dress the open wounds, bind and heal, no matter how painful. This second stage was intended to lead us into proposals, ie, recommendations, to avoid the pitfalls of yesterday and move on as one army, poised to conquer;
3)Prof Oquaye is an Akufo-Addo-like old warrior trusted to show solidarity where and when it mattered. Others weren’t enthused, and requested him to step aside. The old boy was determined to function, not without suspicions, though;
4)Sub-Committees of the parent committee fanned out to the various regions to gather raw information from Party officers in the various Constituencies. The main Cttee thereafter came together to meet the former President, HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo. They were blunt with him: 70% of all the respondents put the blame of the Party’s abysmal performance on Nana Akufo Addo. Before the group left him, he pleaded that that part should not appear in the final Report. Lo and behold! That portion did not find space in the final Oquaye-led Report;
5)The usual suspect, the ubiquitous Gabby Otchere Darko was sent on another errand: to request Prof Oquaye not to apportion blame to anyone in the Report as that, in Gabby and his superiors’ view, might further divide the party up. In other words, if commissions or commissions that led to the Party’s failure were attributable to–
i, Party Officers at National, Regional, or whatever level;
ii, the former President or any specific member of his Government;
iii, the Presidential Candidate, or any of his assigns;
iv, the Running Mate;
v, the erstwhile Presidential Candidate hopefuls some of whom used very offensive, vile and divisive language against the former President, the then Government, and the Presidential Candidate and his family,
those names should not be mentioned in the Report. Prof Oquaye’s response to the directive was immediate: “Yours Obedient Servant”. “Your word is my bond” Truly those names supplied by the respondents have all been taken off the final Report!!
6) Whilst all these were happening backstage, there was a spirited attempt to get self-same Prof Oquaye, a priest of the Baptist Church to shift a great deal of the blame to Bawumia who Akufo Addo has now told bluntly that he is not going to support again. Oquaye was to confront Bawumia on the chieftaincy in Bawku, and when that happened, Bawumia was to respond simply that it was a national security issue to which he would not talk. After that engagement with the Committee, Oquaye was to provide for it in the Report.
Bawumia was candid and blunt on the subject matter at Rock City when he addressed the MPs: he had no knowledge about the entry into Bawku of his clansman, who claims the skin of Bawku. Akufo Addo’s plaintive response when it came to his turn was that the Bawku matter is classified national security issue and until it is declassified, he cannot speak to it. The courage of Bawumia instantly killed that plot to hang the crisis on the neck of Dr Bawumia. What an anchor he has in Allah!
7)The multi-million question is, apart from deleting the per centages of respondents who attributed the collosal loss of the Party to various factors and persons; and also taking out the names of the people that the respondents said should be held accountable for the loss of the Party in the December 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections, which Professor Oquaye has dutifully done, what is the material difference between the Oquaye Report which covered the entire nation and the Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu Report which covered only the Ashanti Region?? Nothing whatsoever!! So those who were sponsored to attack Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and the proactive Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Party, Chairman Wontumi, should bow down their heads in shame. Good thinking, Chairman Wontumi. Truth, like cork, that is suppressed under water shall always prevail. Kudos to the Ashanti Team that did such yeoman’s job in record time.
8)And please, Professor Oquaye, having done that huge surgery on the Report, how are you helping the Party to confront the reality and frontally deal with the issues identified? How does your Report reflect the responses of the respondents having taken the names they supplied out? Doesn’t it now turn out as a doctored Report with the huge surgery done, Prof, to suit the whims and caprices of some people?
Lead kindly light, NPP will and must resurrect.Source:Akwasi Odame Jnr,USA
Obidombie Kwabena Asamoah, former Deputy CEO of MASLOC, has proven to be more than a leader—he’s a visionary. From actively supporting TESCON during his time in office to initiating the Coalition of First-Time Voters and Free SHS campaigns, he has worked tirelessly to project the achievements of the NPP and elevate youth involvement in politics.
Obidombie Kwabena Asamoah
He didn’t just support from afar—he mentored, empowered, and created countless opportunities for TESCON members across the country. Even in opposition, his energy hasn’t wavered. He continues to rejuvenate TESCON, build strategic platforms, and ensure that the youth voice remains strong in the party’s future.
To Obidombie, your sacrifices and dedication have not gone unnoticed. TESCON is proud to call you one of its own. Ayekoo!
“Ungrateful people normally fade away(‘die’) prematurely”. This is a profound statement from one man of God in the country and therefore as people we must be careful about how we treat those who once helped us.
The Presidential seat is NOT for the simplest or humblest or loudest. The seat is for the most prepared, as well as the most preferred by the majority of Ghanaians. Second or third or fourth chance also depends on the demonstration of sound leadership qualities after first defeat.
Throughout history, successful people were once a failure. But these people didn’t apportion blame to others or send out surrogates to attack supposedly a contributor to their failure. However, such people recognized and acknowledged why they have failed in the first instance and work on it in silence.
Getting a second and third chance is a PRIVILEGE, Not a RIGHT. Absolutely no one deserves another chance automatically. Reformation of character, apologies, genuine repentance, and meritocracy are some of the factors considered for granting second and third chance to people.
In politics, second or third or fourth chance are granted by delegates of the party largely based on the:
1. Degree/Margin of defeat for the Candidate in the previous election(s).
2. Improved performance of the Candidate in recent election.
3. General Acceptability of the Candidate by the overwhelming majority.
4. Ability of the Candidate to accept responsibility for failures, and reposition him or herself for a stronger comeback.
5. The character and attitude of the people surrounding the candidate especially his or her inner caucus(kitchen Cabinet members).
Dr.Razak KoJo Opoku
Also, most importantly, not everyone deserves a second or third or fourth chance. If that is the case then several women and men would have still been married to their baby father’s and baby mother’s respectively.
If automatic second chance is an entrenched universal law then:
1. Satan would have still been in heaven together with the other angels.
2. All criminals in prisons would have been on the streets.
3. All dismissed employees would have still been at the workplace.
4. All divorcees would have still been married to their partners.
5. Judas Iscariot would have been saved after betraying Jesus Christ.
6. Professor Adu Boahen would have been the Flagbearer of NPP in 1996.
7. Alan Kyerematen should have automatically succeed Nana Akufo-Addo as a Flagbearer for the 2024 general election.
8. Mike Oquaye Junior should be automatically made the Parliamentary Candidate of NPP for the 2028 general election.
9. Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye should have been maintained as the Speaker of Parliament after the 2020 general election.
10. Hillary Clinton should have been maintained as the Presidential candidate for the Democratic Party after her loss to Donald Trump in the 2016 general election.
11. Joe Biden should have been maintained as 2024 Presidential candidate for the Democratic Party.
12. Former President Goodluck Jonathan should have been re-elected after his term in office as a President of Nigeria.
13. All one-term Presidents of the United States such as George H. W. Bush, John Adams, Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, Herbert Hoover, William Howard Taft, etc. should have been given automatic second-term to lead USA.
14. Dr. Hilla Limann should have become President again after the 1992 Presidential election in Ghana.
15. All the dead persons would have still been alive today.
16. All shortest-term Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom including Rishi Sunak would have been given a second chance.
17. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah would have been restored back as a President after the overthrown of Busia’s Government. Afterall, Kwame Nkrumah significantly led us to attained independence.
I have more than 1000 case studies to cite as reference point to justify why a second chance is NOT an AUTOMATIC RIGHT and ENTITLEMENT. It requires competition, consistency, or sometimes collective consensus or divine grace to merit a 2nd or 3rd chance in every pursuits.
Let’s allow free, transparent, and fair internal contest within the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Any form of imposition would be seriously counterproductive in 2028 general election and beyond.
Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo has every right to push her agenda but she should bear in mind that any unjustified attacks on Nana Akufo-Addo would be seriously NOT entertain by his loyalists.
If not art of ungratefulness, no reasonable baby mama would undermine the Presidential ambition of her children’s father no matter the level of bitterness towards her ex-partner for the sake of the children.
…signed…
Razak Kojo Opoku (PhD)
Founding President, UP Tradition Institute
