Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, National Coordinator of the District Roads Improvement Programme (DRIP), has advised former Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum to be cautious about campaigning for the flagbearership slot solely on his time at the Education Ministry, describing his record as “not without flaws.”

Dr Osei Adutwum on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, officially announced his bid to contest the flagbearership position of the New Patriotic Party in January 2026.

In a Facebook post, Dr. Adutwum expressed his readiness to serve the party and the nation, citing a sense of duty and conviction as his motivation.

Nii Lantey Vanderpuye                                       Dr.Osei Yaw Adutwum

“With humility, conviction, and a resolute heart, I, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, declare my intent to run for the Flagbearership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), should nominations be officially opened by the party,” he wrote.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Thursday, Vanderpuye acknowledged Dr. Adutwum’s calm demeanor and commended his decision to enter the flagbearership race.

However, he urged the minister to adopt a more modest and personal approach in appealing to party delegates and the public.

“It is good that Adutwum wants to contest the flagbearership. He has a very calm demeanour. But I don’t want him to premise his qualification on his performance at the Ministry of Education,” Vanderpuye said.

According to him, Dr. Adutwum’s performance as Education Minister cannot be touted as flawless.

“His performance is 50-50. There are things he did right, but there are also a lot of things he did wrong, which won’t give him the credibility he is seeking,” he explained.

Vanderpuye suggested that Dr. Adutwum would be better off presenting himself as a humble public servant rather than relying heavily on his ministerial achievements.

“He should go out there as Adutwum, a servant of this country. ‘I have served. I may not have achieved a perfect score, but I have served in humility and respect.’ Then people will assess him on that basis,” he advised.

He also warned that public perception of Dr. Adutwum’s tenure could become a liability.“If people have issues about your tenure as minister, they will use that to punish you,” Vanderpuye added.Source:William Narh