Carlos Ahenkorah, the Member of Parliament for Tema West, offered a candid assessment of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) electoral defeat in the 2024 elections, attributing it to a series of missteps that alienated various segments of the Ghanaian population. He urged the incoming National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration under President-elect John Dramani Mahama to heed the lessons of the NPP’s failures and prioritize the needs of Ghanaians to avoid a similar fate. Ahenkorah’s reflections underscored the importance of learning from past mistakes in governance and offered a valuable perspective on the factors that contributed to the NPP’s historic loss.
Ahenkorah’s central argument revolved around the idea that the NPP’s actions had essentially “sinned” against every category of voters, creating widespread dissatisfaction that ultimately manifested in their rejection at the polls. He pointed to unemployment as a major concern among the youth, who felt the NPP had failed to deliver on promises of job creation. The middle class, he argued, bore the brunt of the financial sector reforms, while the elderly were deeply impacted by the controversial “haircuts” on their investments, a measure that led to unprecedented protests outside the Finance Ministry. This multifaceted discontent, spanning different demographics, coalesced into a powerful force against the NPP.
The scope of the NPP’s defeat, according to Ahenkorah, was particularly significant given their historical dominance in urban centers. He highlighted the unprecedented loss of seats in capital cities across the country, areas traditionally considered NPP strongholds. This widespread rejection, he believed, served as a clear message from the electorate, a lesson the NPP needed to learn. The loss transcended specific demographics and geographical locations, indicating a broader dissatisfaction with the party’s performance and policies.
Ahenkorah’s analysis provided a stark contrast to the typical post-election narratives of political spin and blame-shifting. He openly acknowledged the NPP’s shortcomings, emphasizing the need for introspection and a genuine understanding of the factors that led to their defeat. This willingness to accept responsibility and identify areas for improvement underscored the depth of the party’s introspection and the gravity of the electoral setback. It also suggested a potential shift towards a more self-critical and accountable approach within the NPP.
Beyond simply identifying the NPP’s mistakes, Ahenkorah offered concrete advice to the incoming NDC government, emphasizing the importance of listening to the concerns of Ghanaians and avoiding the pitfalls that led to the NPP’s downfall. He specifically praised Mahama’s decision to retain the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy, a flagship initiative of the outgoing NPP administration. This endorsement of a key policy of his political rivals further highlighted Ahenkorah’s focus on the broader interests of Ghana, placing the needs of the citizens above partisan politics. He framed the continuation of Free SHS as a crucial step towards meeting the expectations of Ghanaians and ensuring the success of the NDC administration.
In essence, Ahenkorah’s message was a call for a more responsive and accountable form of governance, one that prioritized the needs of the people and learned from the mistakes of the past. His analysis of the NPP’s defeat provided a valuable framework for understanding the complex dynamics of Ghanaian politics and the evolving expectations of the electorate. By urging the NDC to avoid repeating the NPP’s errors, he underscored the importance of a forward-looking approach to governance, one that prioritized the well-being of all Ghanaians and sought to build a more prosperous and equitable future for the nation. His remarks also served as a stark reminder to political parties across the spectrum of the importance of staying connected to the needs of the people and the consequences of failing to do so.
