Former Ghanaian President John Agyekum Kufuor has openly expressed his concern about what he perceives to be a pervasive factionalism inside the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The statesman, who served as Ghana’s president from 2000 to 2008, emphasised how different the current NPP seems from previous iterations.
Mr. Kufuor called for a rigorous reevaluation of the party’s operations as it plots its course forward in an interview with Accra-based TV3. He emphasised the crucial position that steadfast dedication played within the party, comparing it to a type of devotion akin to religious conviction.
The former president bemoaned how the steadfast dedication he had once felt within the party appeared to have diminished over time. He emphasised the value of sustaining genuine democratic principles and the preference for inclusiveness over factionalism.
Mr. Kufuor pointed out that a focus on factions too much, whether at the local or national level, breeds conflict and makes it difficult to work together.
He emphasized , “The way I feel it, I don’t sense the same strong commitment. I have likened commitment to almost a religion. I don’t sense that now. We are talking proper democracy, an inclusive one, you wouldn’t emphasize factions.”
He added that choosing candidates for local or national offices shouldn’t be contentious or cause the emergence of divisions in the practise of true democracy. He claimed that these conflicts lessen the party’s overall power.
These issues brought up by former President Kufuor highlight the necessity for a unified front to negotiate Ghana’s complex political landscape as the NPP struggles with internal dynamics and adjustments.
