By Bright Philip Donkor
The Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Council of Elders, Hackman Owusu Agyemang, has called on the rank and file of the party to regroup, reenergise, and recommit to its founding ideals. He emphasised that the NPP must “rise again with renewed purpose”, in the face of its 2024 electoral defeat.
He made the call when the NPP Council of Elders, in collaboration with the Patriotic Institute, commemorated the 78th anniversary of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) at the NPP National Headquarters in Asylum Down. The event was held under the theme “Liberty, Markets and Ethics – Rethinking Development in Ghana”.
Principles
Mr. Owusu Agyemang rallied the rank and file of the NPP to return to the principles that birthed the UGCC and subsequently inspired the formation of the Danquah-Dombo-Busia political tradition.
“Freedom is not a credit; it is a responsibility. The youth of Ghana must protect liberty, build economies that uplift the populace, and choose nationhood over faction. We must rededicate ourselves to the ideals of our forebears if we are to reclaim what has been lost and move this nation forward,” he stressed.
He recounted the sacrifices endured by pioneers of the political tradition, particularly during the years of authoritarian rule under the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC). Many, he said, suffered exile, economic sabotage, and harassment simply for upholding democracy and freedom of speech.
“The elephant, our emblem, represents resilience. We must rise again with renewed energy and purpose to confront the issues of our time, just as our predecessors did during theirs,” he stressed.
Reevaluation
Dr. Antoinette Tsiboe-Darko, a Deputy General Secretary of the NPP and acting Coordinator of the Patriotic Institute, stressed the need for Ghana to critically re-evaluate its development strategy through the lens of the party’s foundational ideals: liberty, free markets, and ethical governance.
In her view, the anniversary was not just ceremonial, but a moment for deep introspection. She believes the NPP will lead the way in restoring ethical leadership and addressing youth unemployment, economic disparities, and property rights that are weakening in Ghana’s democratic space.
Reconnection
The National Protocol Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Kwadwo Afari, appealed to the party, particularly the youth, to reconnect with the foundational philosophies, ideologies and beliefs that gave birth to the political tradition. He cautioned that failure to do so could erode the party’s connection with the Ghanaian people.
He emphasised the urgency of ideological realignment within the NPP as it reorganises and prepares for the 2028 general elections. He stressed that in recent years, the party’s grassroots appeal and its core identity had faced challenges, largely due to a growing disconnect from its original values.
He noted that while the NPP had chalked significant developmental milestones in government, the ideological cohesion and identity that once distinguished the party risked being diluted if the youth failed to understand and propagate its foundational doctrines.
“We risk losing touch with the people if we neglect the very philosophies that made us the party of hope and progress. We must not allow electoral outcomes to replace ideological clarity,” he advised.
He called on party’s youth to immerse themselves in political education, champion the party’s values in their communities, and engage the electorate not only with policy promises but also with the conviction of belief in what the NPP stands for.
He further called on the government to grant equity rights in mineral wealth to individual landowners rather than politically connected cronies.
This, he said, would represent a fundamental restructuring of Ghana’s mineral ownership regime, and ensure that landowners become active stakeholders in the wealth generated from their lands, rather than bystanders in a system that has historically excluded them from the benefits of resource extraction.
Ethical renewal
Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, former General Secretary of the NPP and a potential candidate in the party’s upcoming flagbearer race, called for a recalibration of Ghana’s political culture—one rooted in the enduring values of sacrifice, service, and selflessness.
He urged a reset of the nation’s political ethos to reflect the selfless spirit that drove the UGCC founders and the early leadership of the NPP.
“Our democracy did not come on a silver platter,” he reminded the audience. “People paid with their lives, lost their businesses, and went into exile for the freedoms we enjoy today. We cannot allow political convenience or personal ambition to erode that legacy.”
Calling for a return to principled leadership, Ing. Agyepong stressed the need to raise a new generation of public servants anchored in character, integrity, and a deep sense of duty to the nation.
“Leadership must be viewed as a call to serve, not a reward to exploit. We need leaders with spine, leaders who will not be swayed by greed or fear. The heart of politics must be the well-being of the people. That is the compass that must guide our decisions. If we fail to centre our politics around the needs of the ordinary Ghanaian, then we’ve truly lost our way,” he noted.
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