Charles Owusu, former Head of the Monitoring Unit at the Forestry Commission, has diagnosed some reasons that led to the defeat of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) in the Assin North by-election.
The New Patriotic Party's candidate, Charles Opoku, lost the election after polling a little over 12,000 votes while the opposition National Democratic Congress', James Gyakye Quayson, polled 17,245 votes to win the election.
Following the by-election, the NPP has assured their members and supporters that they will return to the drawing board and right their wrongs as they await the 2024 elections.
However, their defeat didn't come without lessons.
To Charles Owusu, one of the things that caused the NPP's defeat is their leaders and government officials driving luxurious cars to Assin North to campaign for their candidate.
According to him, the party's national executives' display at the constituency was infuriating and believed it provoked the electorates to vote against the NPP.
He noted that the national executives of the opposition National Democratic Congress went to the constituency in pickup vehicles whereas the NPP leading members chose to go there with Land Cruisers.
" . . it looked like they went to do a fanfare but the NDC were serious . . . it is not about dancing and jogging, " he slammed the NPP.
He hoped they have learned their lessons going into the 2024 elections saying "I feel some things didn't go well but it's a lesson".
He made these comments on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' morning show.
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Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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Before the elections what was your predictions,didn't you say that NPP will win hands down,you ***barred word***?.Your time will come in 2024, lam not threatening you but some of you guys will have to cross the sea to seek shelter somewhere the likes of Owusu-Bempah anofiafia and yourself! Achimota Forest ***barred word*** was emphatic on NPP winning Assin North by-election. Your hate for NDC will never yield any result. Braise yourself for Nsawam because you are jailed bound as Akuffo Chimpanzee Addo said in Assin North.
BE BOLD,ARISE AND BREAK AND BURY the Deadly 8 years of ECONOMIC CURSE,. BREAK AND BURY the gangstair of 8 YEARS ECONOMIC SCAMMERS . BREAK AND BURY 8 years SOLID CORRUPTIONS. Experts. BE BOLD AND VOTE FOR PROSPERITY AND PROGRESS FOR ALL
Well said, somethings didn't go well. The major challenge facing the current NPP leadership both at the level of government and party is their failure to listen to advice thinking that they alone know. Political positions are not positions of intelligence as if to say it's because one is the most intelligent that's why he was voted for as president or appointed a minister, MMDCE or a CEO. We saw members of parliament numbering close to 100 calling on the president to reshuffle the finance minister, he has since refused to heed to their call. We saw ordinary NPP supporters complaining about the behavior of some ministers thus the need for the president to reshuffle them, again he has refused with some ministers holding on to same positions for over six (6) years now. Infact some of the ministers now see their ministries as personal possessions and do what pleases them knowing very well they can't not be removed or changed with the president himself saying he's satisfied with their performance. This means the president supports long service at one particular post. So on what basis was he calling on the people of Assin north to replace James Quayson. Is change a good thing? Am asking the president? Nobody is envying anybody's post, all they are saying is that reshuffle them, rotate them. When one stays at a particular place for too long they identify some loopholes in the system and that's why corruption and understand dealings starts. Under former president Kufuor even the most popular and powerful ministers were reshuffled. The Osafo Marfo's, Baah Wiredu's, Konadu Apraku's, Hackman Owusu Agyemang's, Kwamena Bartels, Jake Obtsebi Lamptey's, Mustapha Ali Iddris, Papa Owusu Ankomah's, Christopher Ameyaw Akumfi's, Richard Anane's and including Akuffo Addo himself ( now president) were all reshuffled. Is Akuffo Addo saying his reshuffle from the Attorney general ministry to the foreign affairs ministry by president kufour was a big mistake? Am asking him. Ghanaians are now wide awake and politicians better be careful. The miniters are appointed to serve the good people of Ghana not the person of the president. Now if the people they have been appointed to serve are complaining about their behavior and performance and you say you are satisfied with their performance, fine. When the time comes for the people to decide the fate of your party as a whole that is when you will see who has the real power. The sovereign power of Ghana resides in the Ghanaian people, they have the power to reshuffle a whole government for a new one. This was how you came to be president. If Akuffo Addo wants to be president he should open his eyes and cork his ears and listen if he wants to hand over to the NPP in 2025. Check the CV's of all your appontees, if you have phd holders among them, we have professor's in the same subject area outside there in the system. If you have masters degree holders among them,we have phd holders out there in the same subject area , if you have lawyers among them including your self we have law professors out there, so when people speak or complain, listen. It's in your interest not theirs. Before 2017 Ghanaians liked you a lot but it's like you keep shooting your self in the foot everyday. A 2017 brand new elephant with very big ears, unfortunately it doesn't listen, at best it hears but won't listen. This is the major difference between the 2001 elephant and the 2017 one. Hope someone is listening. People have suffered in their offices, homes, work places because of the NPP . So it pains when opponents redicule you at the work place because someone has refused to listen. If NPP supporters have nothing to show for supporting the party in the last 6 years, at least give them their piece of mind by doing things right.
I agree with you Rev. NPP is not learning! Campaigning for votes should be on polling station executives. Not officials walking with the president or vice-president! The earlier they know this and do the needful, the better