NPP Leadership Failed Youth, Led to Election Defeat: Ex-MP

The Ghanaian Times reports on sharp criticism leveled against the New Patriotic Party (NPP) by former Subin Member of Parliament Eugene Boakye Antwi. Antwi, who is aspiring for the NPP General Secretary position, directly blames the party's leadership for its heavy defeat in the 2024 general elections, stating that they 'let down' the youth who were given opportunities to lead. He argues that the party failed to rise to the occasion, particularly in effectively communicating its achievements to Ghanaians.

“

We gave the youth the chance to come and lead this party, but they left it aground.

Antwi specifically pointed to successes like the Free Senior High School policy, lamenting that these were not adequately highlighted. He also criticized the party's passive response to key issues raised by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), including economic difficulties and governance concerns. The former MP questioned the party's silence on major national matters, which he believes weakened its standing with voters. He expressed concern that the NPP now faces public perception issues similar to those previously directed at the NDC, including accusations of corruption, stating, 'It is like we have traded places with the National Democratic Congress.'

“

We didn’t lose this election by a small margin. That should tell us something went wrong.

Emphasizing the scale of the defeat—a margin of approximately 2.1 million votes—Antwi stressed that this indicates deep-seated problems requiring serious reflection. He called for a fundamental re-evaluation of the NPP's shortcomings and a significant improvement in its communication strategy to regain public trust and prepare for future elections. From the perspective of a Ghanaian journalist within the NPP, Antwi's candid assessment reflects a painful but necessary internal critique, highlighting a disconnect between the party's actions in government and its ability to project its message effectively to the electorate. The article underscores the critical importance of strategic communication and public perception management in Ghanaian politics, suggesting that even a strong track record can be undermined by poor messaging and a failure to connect with voters' immediate concerns.

“

It is like we have traded places with the National Democratic Congress. The things they were criticised for are now what Ghanaians are attacking us for.