Based on the priorities and vision the President has for his next four-year tenure, and the intriguing nature of the 2020 parliamentary elections and the huge loss of seats by the governing party, among other reasons, he has been obliged to take drastic, far-reaching decisions to cut down on the number of his appointees.
As the appointees themselves, as well as party members and leadership would admit, that privilege of inviting people into his government and his alone.
The President’s decision to vigorously prune down the numbers of his initially bulky team should be a notice to the party hierarchy on the need to engineer restructuring at all layers. This also implies spelling out clear-cut qualifications for credible and responsible office holders, in filling constituency, regional and national executive positions.
Competence, representation
That additionally requires that the party looks not only at quality and broader representation, but also quality administration and organisation at grassroots and national levels with a view to limiting the spate of conflicts that threaten the party during critical calendars like internal elections and regional and national congresses.
The party will need accomplished residents and constituents to design, manage and roll out future campaigns to win more seats. Of course, the party needs the noise-makers too. However, even political noise needs to be managed and used at the right time and decibels for good effect.
That is why those new and revised structures should also be able to deal decisively with how Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives relate effectively with foot soldiers and with Members of Parliament and parliamentary candidates in conducting party activities, particularly research and voter mobilisation.
That a party stalwart and accomplished party ‘General’ like Dan Botwe has been appointed into a position that allows him natural access to the grounds in connecting with the party should be enough motivation for the current and next party leadership to jell and deliver 2024 for the next NPP flagbearer in forming the next 2025 NPP government.
Responsibility
What we see as a major fault in the modus operandi of the New Patriotic Party is the over-democratisation of its operational spaces, responsibilities and privileges as well as accountability.
But that may be because it has not held office holders for their inefficiency and poor performance until it is election period. As a result, a party chairman and PC or MP may engage in attrition activities for as long as possible until there is an internal or external political calendar that settles the issues.
Kokonsa
Feuding or kokonsa (gossip) among constituency executives – a gnawing cancer in the party – should be the butt of the larger systemic challenge that any reforms should be tackled.
While it is normal for party chairpersons to aspire to be parliamentary candidates, the paths towards attaining those ends have not only been rough and acrimonious, but decisive and retrogressive.
Unfortunately, instead of using credible mechanisms to douse the flames of conflict, some regional and national leaders – or top level party patrons – take sides and conspire to tear the party apart, instead of providing the balm that would heal the conflict and promote the party on the grounds to win the seat for both MP and the President.
That cancer, we believe, has been a major reason the party tends to lose indigenous Accra seats, rather annoyingly.
Appeal
Since every community has elders entrusted with wisdom in managing the issues of ‘life and death,’ it is our humble opinion that the Council of Elders of the party leads the discussions in fashioning these new structures to live out the vision and mission of the NPP and the President in shaking the electoral space for victory in 2024.
We believe that our appeal is in the right direction because, since generations, it has always been the fathers who beat the paths for their children and children’s children to follow, work hard and progress.