Dr. Samuel Akonga, a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has called for sweeping reforms within the party following its defeat in the 2024 presidential election.
Dr. Akonga’s remarks come in the wake of a party-commissioned report that identified several factors contributing to the NPP’s loss.
Responding to a question on the Daybreak Upper East show on A1 Radio regarding what measures the NPP could adopt to boost its chances in future elections, Dr. Akonga emphasized that the defeat was not solely due to external factors but also stemmed from internal challenges. He highlighted the party’s delegate system as a major concern, describing it as outdated and in urgent need of reform.
“The delegate system, I think it should be reformed. We should expand the polling system. We should find a way of expanding it,” he stressed.
Dr. Akonga also criticized the current party leadership structure, where regional chairmen, secretaries, and organizers operate with unchecked authority.
“Under our party structure, the communication director works under the chairman. And the party constitution gives the chairman the power to appoint you. So when you come in, you’re operating within the whims and caprices of the constituency or national chairman. You are either loyal to him or you’re out. It doesn’t give you the room to operate independently.”
He noted that several roles, such as deputy youth organizers and deputy secretaries, are merely ceremonial unless the appointee has a good working relationship with the person who appointed them.
“Because of that, if an organizer or youth organizer appoints you, he thinks you are his boy. But if we both contest for various positions, then no one can control the other unfairly,” he explained.
“Currently, the chairman, secretary, and organizer are the three key positions at the constituency and regional levels. These people feel they own the party because the status quo gives them that leverage. For example, the youth organizer works under the organizer, the secretary is the administrator of the party, and the chairman is the overall boss. We need to redefine all roles and make every position electable, with clearly outlined responsibilities.”
He added that confusion often arises when one officer assumes the duties of another.
“Sometimes, the organizer is doing the chairman’s job, the chairman is doing the secretary’s job, and everything ends up in disarray—especially when we are in power. The risk with the current system is that if these three people [chairman, secretary, and organizer] are in cahoots, the entire party machinery suffers.”
Dr. Akonga continued to advocate for electing all officers and eliminating the coordinator position to ensure smoother party operations.
“We need to look at this from national to constituency level. Every position should be contestable. We shouldn’t appoint communication directors, for example. Everyone should stand for elections to occupy those roles. In my opinion, we should eliminate the coordinator position and allow the chairman to work directly with the polling station chairmen. If the chairman wants to do something, he should be able to speak directly with them.”
“Currently, the chairman cannot bypass the coordinator. He has to pass information through the coordinator. If we remove that layer and maybe expand responsibilities to six or seven polling executives, things would run more efficiently.”
In light of these concerns, Dr. Akonga urged the NPP to prioritize internal reforms, focusing on merit-based appointments and greater inclusivity in decision-making. He believes such changes are essential for reviving the party and restoring trust among its supporters.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Samuel Adagom|Bolgatanga
