In a New Year message to party supporters, Mr. Kodua described the past year as challenging, acknowledging that the loss remains painful for many members. However, he stressed that the setback does not define the future of the NPP.

According to him, the party’s true strength lies in its core values, resilience and long-standing commitment to national development, rather than the outcome of a single election.

“The past year has tested us deeply,” he said, adding that the NPP has faced difficult moments before and has always emerged stronger through unity and determination.

Mr. Kodua revealed that the party has begun addressing weaknesses exposed by the electoral defeat, noting that several internal reforms are currently underway to reposition the NPP for future political contests.

He mentioned proposed constitutional amendments, the establishment of a training and research centre known as the Patriotic Institute, and the reactivation of the party’s membership dues payment system as key components of the reform agenda.

According to him, these measures are aimed at strengthening party structures and improving organisation at all levels.

Looking ahead, the General Secretary said the party has outlined major activities for the year, including the presidential primary, nationwide elections of party officers, and a reconciliation and unity campaign.

He assured members that all internal elections would be conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner.

Mr. Kodua also cautioned against internal divisions as the party prepares for a keenly contested presidential race, urging members to shun factionalism and focus on rebuilding trust and cohesion.

He praised the Minority in Parliament, led by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, for what he described as a firm and principled opposition, and commended party executives and grassroots supporters for remaining loyal despite the loss of political power.

Mr. Kodua called on party faithful to remain confident and hopeful, expressing optimism that the NPP will rebuild and return stronger through reflection, resilience and collective effort.

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Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show, Asenso-Boakye said many residents in Kumasi have expressed regret over voting the NDC back into power.

He lamented the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which stalled several infrastructure projects, including planned major interchanges.

“The NPP’s strength in the Ashanti Region remains strong. I spoke with some people in Kumasi who expressed regret about not voting. The market women and traders are complaining about their sales being down.

“We had plans to create major interchanges, but financial crises disrupted everything. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted our governance and the economy. However, the NPP will return stronger,” he said.

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According to him, the NPP under the Nana Akufo-Addo government simply did not listen enough.

The former Education and Energy Minister believes that failure cost the party the trust of the people, with severe consequences.

“One thing I’ve concluded in the last 10 months is that there was a broken trust between citizens and government. The trust that was broken hurt so much so that we saw the results so broken,” he said on Joy News’ PM Express.

Asked by host Evans Mensah what caused that rupture, Dr Opoku Prempeh was direct.

“We didn’t listen enough; we assumed a lot of things we shouldn’t have assumed,” he admitted.

He added that even their sense of purpose as a government came under strain.

Dr Prempeh argued that the global environment made the period even more difficult, saying the world had been shaken on multiple fronts.

“We had gone through the West, global economic climate, medically and economically or health-wise,” he said.

According to him, governments across the world were swept up in a storm, with many overturned, leaving only autocratic regimes able to withstand the shocks.

He highlighted how dramatically the global economy had shifted and pointed to staggering changes in basic costs.

“A container from China that cost $1,200 logistic-wise had risen to $14,000. People’s lifetime savings have been wiped out,” he said.

He added that the human toll was equally devastating.

“People had died in their droves that had never been seen before, without a military crisis or World War. So a lot of things that happened.”

Through it all, Dr Prempeh maintained that despite the difficult global context, their biggest failure was not listening to the public early enough — a failure he believes paved the way for everything that followed.

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Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, he said Alan’s resignation and the conduct of his loyalists left a deep scar on the NPP’s performance and image.

“Well, even one vote is important, and he took a few thousand votes. Not only that, especially from the Ashanti, but they had these boys go on television and say all manner of things and insult and what have you, and people always saying, “Oh, they were with them once upon a time, so what they are saying is true, and it wasn’t helpful to us,” he stated.

Mr. Owusu-Agyeman said such actions weakened the party ahead of the polls, describing the repeated resignation-and-return cycle as disruptive.

He stressed that the NPP had been too lenient with such behaviour in the past.

When asked about Alan Kyerematen’s possible return, Hackman said the decision would lie with the party, not him, but recalled that in the past, some leaders had been blunt.

“I remember that Da Rocha, whom we all revere, when Alan resigned the first time, he said good riddance, and he was the party chairman at that time,” he said.

Hackman insisted that those who damage the party and leave should stay away, while ordinary followers may be allowed to return.

Source: Abubakar Ibrahim

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Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, he said the former Trade Minister’s resignation before the 2024 elections inflicted unnecessary damage on the party.

“I remember that Da Rocha, whom we all revere, when Alan resigned the first time, he said good riddance, and he was the party chairman at that time.

“So I really don’t know when it comes; it will be discussed. And I believe that sometimes you begin to wonder whether, and I’m being very frank with you in this interview, it was deliberately meant to scuttle our front and make us lose, and sometimes I wonder what,” he said.

He questioned the justification given for Alan’s departure.

“And sometimes I wonder because there was absolutely no need… if you have a nationwide election and one person gets into a physical fight, and then he says, because of that, I’m resigning,” he said.

“Well, if you want to form your own political party, have the courage to say, I am forming my political party. Don’t link that to the fact that the party was not able to protect you,” he stressed.

Asked about the impact of Alan’s exit on the 2024 polls, Hackman said the NPP suffered both electorally and reputationally.

“Well, even one vote is important, and he took a few thousand votes, especially from the Ashanti Region… Not only that, but they had the boys go on television and say all manner of things, insults and what have you, and people always saying, ‘Oh, they were with them once upon a time, so what they are saying is true,’ and it wasn’t helpful to us,” he explained.

He stressed that the party must not continue to tolerate such behaviour.

“So if you want to come, you join a party, and you have to behave yourself. And I don’t think that in the future, we shall; well, I will not cast my vote for such a situation at all. In the future, if you create problems for us, you will go. I mean, we can go on, life goes on,” he declared.

The veteran politician noted that politics can be unpredictable but insisted that discipline must prevail.

“Politics is quite interesting, and these are the sort of things that we shouldn’t be encouraging at all. In the UK right now, some people from the Conservatives are going to Reform. But if you go, stay there; stay there with your problem; don’t come and do that again,” he advised.

He, however, distinguished between leaders and ordinary members who followed them.

“But those ones, they were the leaders who created a problem, and the young mass followers should come back. They should come back because they know that they are not going to go anywhere,” he concluded.

Dr Acheampong, addressing party supporters on August 23, argued that the NPP’s 2024 defeat was largely due to what he called “tribal dynamics” surrounding Dr Bawumia’s candidature.

His remarks have sparked widespread backlash, with critics warning that such sentiments threaten national cohesion.

The former Agric Minister claimed that while former Presidents Kufuor and Akufo-Addo won overwhelming support across northern constituencies, Dr Bawumia’s candidacy was undermined by long-standing rivalries between Mamprusis and Kusasis.

He argued that this tribal divide contributed to the NPP’s losses across the northern belt, including Oti, Upper East, Upper West and the Northern Region.

His comments, however, have been dismissed by many Ghanaians as divisive and unnecessary.

Civil society voices and ordinary citizens alike have stressed that reducing Bawumia’s electoral loss to tribal politics disrespects both the Vice President’s legacy and the maturity of Ghana’s democracy.

According to critics, Acheampong’s remarks risk deepening ethnic divisions at a time when unity should be the priority for a party seeking to return to power in 2028.

Many have called on him to focus instead on policy-driven solutions and inclusive leadership.

Dr Bawumia, who served as Vice President between 2017 and 2025, is widely recognised for his role in Ghana’s digital transformation and economic management.

His defenders argue that the 2024 electoral outcome was shaped by a complex mix of political, economic, and governance factors—not simply tribal considerations.

The chorus of criticism against Acheampong underscores Ghanaians’ rejection of identity-based politics in favour of issue-driven national discourse.

Source: Ernest Arhinful

Speaking to party members on Saturday, August 23, the former Minister for Agriculture said the party’s choice of flagbearer alienated sections of the electorate in northern Ghana.

Dr Acheampong argued that while former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo won strong backing across northern constituencies, the 2024 race was undermined by historical rivalries.

“President Kufuor won all NPP votes in Kusasi and President Akufo-Addo also did the same thing, but because the fight is between two tribes (Mamprusis and Kusasis) and we elected a flagbearer from one of them, we lost from Oti Region, Upper East, Upper West and the Northern Region,” he explained.

According to him, the defeat was not necessarily a reflection of Dr Bawumia’s competence or personal failings, but rather the timing and political circumstances.

“We lost all our seats because of the candidate we presented (Dr Mahamudu Bawumia) and he could be a victim of circumstance and not his fault but the timing didn’t favour him,” he said.

Dr Bawumia, who served as Ghana’s Vice President from 2017 to 2025, was the NPP’s flagbearer in the 2024 general elections.

Dr Acheampong, who is currently in the race to lead the NPP into the 2028 elections, maintained that the party must take lessons from the 2024 outcome.

He called on members to be strategic in their decision-making to ensure that the party presents a candidate capable of uniting its base and reclaiming power from the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Source: Ernest Arhinful

Speaking to JoyNews at the state funeral of the eight people, including Dr. Boamah, who lost their lives in the August 6 military helicopter crash, Mr. Gunu recounted his exceptional approach to the 2024 general elections.

“He is one person who brought his experience and expertise as a medical doctor practitioner to bear on our electoral architecture, and he was able to demystify the rumors that the NDC was not able to collate its election in 2020.

“So when it came to the 2024 election, it was like a medical officer took the whole election system to a laboratory to diagnose and found a solution and made recommendations on what to do, especially with regard to ballot accounting and other things that will help us win the election and in fact he did very well,” Mr. Gunu eulogised.

The minister noted that Dr. Omane Boamah’s ability to merge medical precision with political strategy reflected his rare blend of professional expertise and patriotic commitment.

He emphasised that his role should not be forgotten. He also mourned the other six, describing their loss as the loss of a national asset.

Source: Albert Kuzor

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Addressing the National Delegates Conference in Accra on Saturday, he urged party members to rekindle their commitment and work tirelessly to reclaim power in the 2028 polls.

“We cannot, we must not allow 2024 to become the year that destroys the NPP,” he said.

Acknowledging the disappointment following the outcome of the election, he emphasised the need for unity and renewed energy going forward.

“We must become a party of Ghana, talking to Ghana. Our constituency executives must master every polling station, our polling station chairpersons must know every voter, our electoral area coordinators must understand every community’s dream.

“We cannot rebrand ourselves through better slogans; we must rebrand ourselves through better results and strong character,” he added.

The NPP lost both the presidency and parliamentary elections in 2024.

The party lost the majority of its parliamentary seats to the NDC and now has 87 seats following the death of Akwatia MP, Ernest Yaw Kumi.

However, Afenyo-Markin has encouraged that the electoral loss must inspire the party to pursue strategic rebuilding.

He admonished party structures at all levels to remain active and forward-looking with the aim of winning the 2028 polls.

Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, he argued that the government delivered strongly on its mandate across key sectors but failed to effectively carry its support base along, leading to voter disengagement.

“Maybe the only thing we failed to do was to carry along our membership, a greater portion of our members, and some got quite frustrated, and therefore refused to go and vote,” he said.

He dismissed criticisms about the government’s performance and strongly defended the record of the Akufo-Addo administration in economic management, institutional development, and job creation.

“But in terms of performance, and I’m being very sincere with you, I think Nana Akufo-Addo’s government did very well,” Mr. Blay insisted.

He maintained that the administration made significant strides in building infrastructure, strengthening institutions, and improving sectors such as health, education, and security.

“In terms of handling the economy, building infrastructure, building institutions in this country, both political and security institutions, hospitals and education—I think his government did very well,” he said.

Highlighting what he sees as one of the administration’s most notable achievements, Mr. Blay added, “In terms of even providing employment in the history of this country, that government did extremely well.”

Source: Abubakar Ibrahim

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Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show, Mr Asamoah Boateng said the outcome of the polls caught many by surprise and left them struggling to come to terms with the defeat.

“The 2024 elections weren’t easy. We have all been mesmerized by the results. Most of our people are yet to recover from the loss. It’s a serious issue,” he noted.

He added that while he personally sensed the possibility of defeat, the scale of the loss calls for a sober reassessment of the party’s strategies.

“The 2024 election was not easy. We have all been captivated by the results, but I sensed a feeling of loss among many. Most of our people have yet to recover from it, and this is a serious issue. It will require us to go back to the drawing board and reassess the situation,” he said.

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Speaking to party stakeholders at the beginning of his national Thank You Tour in Takoradi on Saturday, Dr. Bawumia said internal bickering, leading to certain explosive comments by key members against the party and government, contributed to the party’s defeat.

“Unity is key in every group endeavour but for the 2024 Elections we faced the issue internal issues.”

“Some of our own members attacked the party and government publicly and our opponents, the NDC, played back these words by our own members against us through series of adverts in the media.”

“They used the words against us and if the attack is coming from your own members, you can imagine the effect.”

Dr. Bawumia called for a United front within the party, saying such bickering, which affected the party in 2024, will continue to derail the cause of the party of not curbed.

The 2024 flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has expressed deep appreciation to the party’s polling station executives and grassroots supporters, describing them as the NPP’s greatest assets.

Speaking during the Thank You Tour in Takoradi on Saturday, 26 April, Dr, Bawumia acknowledged the tireless efforts of the rank and file in sustaining the party’s strength across the country.

“Our polling station executives and grassroots are our greatest assets, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart,” Dr Bawumia said.

He emphasised that the victories and achievements of the NPP over the years were largely due to the unwavering commitment and sacrifices made by these individuals at the local level.

According to him, their loyalty and hard work form the bedrock upon which the party’s success is built.

The former Vice President who served from 2017 to 2025, noted that without the support of the grassroots, no political party could achieve its objectives.

“It is the grassroots that defend the party in every community, market, and household,” he remarked, urging the executives to remain steadfast as the NPP prepares for the crucial 2024 general elections.

He concluded his address by promising continued engagement and support for the base of the party.

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The report, particularly from the Ashanti Region, has sparked significant controversy.

Boadu emphasized that it was improper for any particular region to conduct its own fact-finding mission, as the national secretariat had already appointed a committee for such purposes.

However, he acknowledged that while regions or constituencies are free to conduct their own research, the findings must remain internal and not be shared publicly.

In an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show, Boadu stated, “You can’t stop people from examining themselves, but it should be internal. We should stop the mass distribution.”

He also cautioned against defending the public release of the report, stressing that it was poorly managed. “We should admit we made a mistake which would not repeat itself and move on,” he added.

The report, which has been at the center of much debate, attributed the NPP’s poor performance, particularly in the Ashanti Region, to the leadership style of former President Nana Akufo-Addo.

It described the leadership as rigid, single-minded, and overly influenced by family members. Additionally, the report criticized the party’s process for selecting presidential, parliamentary, national, and regional executives.

The committee collected insights from respondents across all 47 constituencies in the Ashanti Region, including a wide range of people such as ‘trotro’ and taxi drivers, market women, traders, business owners, artisans, youth groups, teachers, doctors, and other professionals.

In response to the mixed reactions over the report’s contents, former Majority Leader and Suame MP Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who led the committee, clarified that the report had been leaked by unknown individuals.

He insisted that the committee never intended to make the report public and had no intention of tarnishing anyone’s reputation.

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The Chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa, made this known at an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting held at the EC’s corporate office in Accra last Wednesday.

The meeting was attended by political party representatives, civil society organisations, the media and state institutions, with the aim of rekindling cooperation and collaboration between the EC and its stakeholders.

Mrs Mensa said the meeting with the two parties was expected to provide an opportunity for in-depth discussion on the matter and bring a finality to it.

“We will have an in-depth meeting to discuss it,” the EC Chairperson said.

However, no specific date has been set for the meeting.

Background

The Ablekuma North Constituency election result has delayed due to the incomplete results sheets from some polling stations.

That notwithstanding, the commission has been working tirelessly to finalise the results, which have been plagued by delays and disagreements.

The process has been suspended seven times, including January 8, 2025, when the Returning Officer resigned over a dispute about the authentication of pink sheets.

Since then, tension has been high in the constituency, with supporters of the NDC and NPP clashing over the results.

The NDC claims their candidate, Ewurabena Aubyn, won the parliamentary contest while the NPP insists its candidate, Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie, won it.

In the heat of the contention, both parties have mounted billboards in the constituency to thank the electorate in the constituency for their votes.

Ablekuma North Constituency, with a total of 281 polling stations, has verified results from 278 polling stations.

The outstanding three polling stations have become points of contention between the NDC and the NPP.

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Erastus Asare Donkor disclosed that his continuous exposes of illegal mining activities had angered certain individuals, putting his safety at risk.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on Saturday, February 1, he recounted the difficult period leading up to his temporary exile.

“It’s been difficult for me for some time, and at some point before the elections, after assessing my security, I had to go out of the country for a while,” he stated.

He explained that the threats were not only verbal but had also been delivered in person and through private messages.

Upon his return to Ghana, Erastus Donkor noted that the intimidation had not ceased, as he continued to receive disturbing threats from unknown individuals.

“After coming back, I’ve received all manner of threats coming from people in person and in my inboxes,” he added.

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On Saturday December , the EC attempted to collate results from three polling stations but succeeded in collating only two. The third polling station’s results remain unresolved due to persistent challenges.

This was after the collation took a dramatic turn as disagreements between political parties and the EC threatened to derail the process.

At the heart of the contention were conflicting claims over the number of polling stations requiring re-collation and the validity of earlier declarations.

The dispute began when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate, Mike Oquaye Jnr, raised objections to the ongoing collation process, JoyNews’ James Avedzi reported.

According to the MP aspirant, there were discrepancies regarding the number of polling stations left to be collated before the chaos that marred the earlier process.

“In the dying hours of the collation in the constituency, just before the chaos erupted, there were 88 polling stations left to be collated,” the reporter said.

He said Mr Oquaye argued that the NPP was not present for the collation of 85 out of these 88 polling stations, which, according to him, invalidated the subsequent declaration made in their absence.

This objection was met with resistance from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which maintained that only three polling stations were outstanding.

The NDC insisted that the process should focus solely on these three polling stations and that the rest of the results were valid as declared.

In the end, the EC suspended the declaration over the outstanding polling station – the Abokobi Women’s Development Centre 2 polling station.

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He said the verdict of the Ghanaian electorate indicated the growing sophistication of voters and their rising expectations from politicians.

Speaking in an interview in Kumasi, Mr. Assafuah described the outcome of the December 07, 2024, elections as shocking.

He pointed out that, he had been optimistic about the NPP’s chances in the elections due to the government’s achievements in infrastructure development and poverty alleviation policies.

However, he noted that the Ghanaian electorates were of different opinion.

He said: “I was of the utmost conviction that the New Patriotic Party would be given another mandate because of the good policies of this government.

“Unfortunately, the people of Ghana thought otherwise, and they’ve passed a verdict.

“We have to accept it and reflect on what didn’t go well.”

The Old Tafo MP highlighted some of the initiatives implemented by the NPP government in his constituency, such as road construction, school infrastructure, scholarships, and the introduction of the Free Senior High School policy.

Despite these efforts, he believed the party might not have met the full expectations of voters, resulting in the unfavourable outcome.

Mr. Assafuah stressed the need for the NPP to take the feedback from the elections seriously, adapt to the evolving demands of the electorate, and work to rebuild trust.

“The Ghanaian voter is becoming more sophisticated, and it is our responsibility to meet their expectations,” he added.

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Speaking on Joy News’ Super Morning Show on December 23, Mercer explained that many voters felt disillusioned with the government’s performance, leading them to express their dissatisfaction at the polls.

“People voted because their promises hadn’t been fulfilled,” Mercer remarked, emphasizing the electorate’s frustration with the political process.

He highlighted the state of the economy as a major factor in voter discontent. “No one can run away from the issues of the economy,” Mercer said, acknowledging the significant impact of economic challenges on daily lives.

While noting that these challenges are global, he stressed, “Everyone is looking at their own reality,” pointing to Ghana’s particularly severe situation.

Mercer recounted experiences from his campaign, citing Kwekuman, an NPP stronghold, as an example. Despite securing victories in polling stations there, the narrow margins reflected broader dissatisfaction.

“The sense I got when I was doing house-to-house campaigning was that people had voted countless times, but they weren’t seeing any results,” he observed.

He also noted that unmet expectations, such as the lack of incentives during party primaries, led some voters to abstain entirely. This sentiment, he explained, further deepened frustration among the electorate.

Despite these challenges, Mercer won the election, though the results revealed a clear lack of enthusiasm and widespread disillusionment among voters.

Mercer’s reflections point to a critical issue in Ghana’s political landscape: voters increasingly demand tangible results and fulfilled promises, especially regarding economic relief, rather than temporary rewards or routine participation.

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For decades, the NPP has been a party rooted in strong ideological principles, unwavering loyalty, and an unshakable connection with the ordinary Ghanaian.

This connection has served as the bedrock of its electoral victories, galvanizing supporters from every corner of the country.

Yet, the results of the 2024 elections suggest that this foundation has been severely undermined, with the very people entrusted with maintaining the party’s link to the grassroots—the government appointees—failing to rise to the occasion.

A Breach of Trust with the Grassroots

Government appointees are often viewed as the face of the party in power, tasked with not only implementing policy but also bridging the gap between the leadership and the rank and file. Unfortunately, a significant number of appointees in recent years appeared more focused on personal gains than on fostering the unity and trust needed to energize the grassroots base.

Reports from key constituencies suggest that many appointees became detached from the struggles and aspirations of the ordinary party loyalist. Instead of engaging directly with communities, addressing concerns, and mobilizing support, some were accused of arrogance, inaccessibility, and neglect. This created a sense of alienation among grassroots supporters, who began to feel abandoned by the very individuals they had worked tirelessly to help appointed into office.

The Consequences of Disconnect

The political impact of this disconnect was clear during the 2024 elections. Party loyalists, once eager to defend and promote the party’s policies, became disenchanted. Many either stayed away from the polls or shifted their allegiance to other parties, viewing them as more attentive to their needs. Others expressed frustration at how issues that could have negative consequences on the party’s electoral prospects were overlooked further exacerbating the divide between appointees and the party.

The lack of effective communication between government appointees and party grassroots also resulted in poor management of key campaign messages. We failed to translate our economic achievements and policy successes into relatable stories that resonated with ordinary Ghanaians. Without the active engagement of appointees on the ground, the party’s campaign machinery lacked the momentum necessary to secure victory.

A Call for Introspection and Reform

As a party, we must take this moment as an opportunity for introspection. The outcome of the 2024 elections serves as a harsh reminder that government appointees are not only technocrats but also political representatives of the party we’re supposed to champion the party’s vision, values, and commitment.

Moving forward, the party must establish stricter mechanisms for accountability among appointees. Leaders who fail to engage with their constituents or prioritize the party should be replaced with individuals who are willing to listen, work, and serve. It is also imperative for the party to invest in capacity building for appointees, ensuring they understand the dual nature of their responsibilities—governing and politicking.

Moreover, the grassroots must be empowered to hold appointees accountable. Open forums, regular community engagements, and grassroots involvement in decision-making processes should become standard practice. The party leadership should also take the necessary steps to institute bold measures that will hold government appointees accountable.

Reconnecting with the Base

As the party looks toward the future, we must prioritize rebuilding our bond with the grassroots. The grassroots are not just voters; they are the lifeblood of the party. They are the volunteers, campaigners, and loyalists who carry the party’s message into homes, markets, and workplaces. Their voices must be heard, respected, and reflected in the party’s decisions.

The party’s loss in 2024 should not mark the beginning of its decline but rather a turning point. By addressing the failures of government appointees, the party can rebuild trust, restore unity, and reclaim its position as a party of the people.

The time for action is now.

Source: William Yamoah, Director of Finance and Administration, NPP HQ

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At a press conference on Thursday, the EC Chairperson, Jean Mensa stated officials faced resistance, threats, intimidation, and property destruction from political party supporters.

She bemoaned that in some instances, EC returning officers were coerced into declaring parliamentary results under duress.

She added that political party supporters destroyed pink sheets and desktop computers used for electronic collation, assaulted EC staff, and issued death threats, ultimately bringing the process to a halt in some constituencies.

“Our staff have been threatened, and the established collation processes, as guided by law, have been disrupted, and witnesses have been declared without due processes governing collation being followed.

“In a number of instances, our staff have been threatened with death and forced to declare outcomes without adhering to the processes governing collation,” she stated.

Mrs Mensa condemned these actions, reiterating its commitment to ensuring transparency and adherence to the rule of law in the electoral process.

Citing the parliamentary election results declaration in the Ablekuma North and Okaikwei Central constituencies, the EC Chairperson said the Commission will not accept it, labelling them as illegal.

According to the EC, the winner of Okaikwei Central was declared without results from 31 polling stations, while that of Ablekuma North omitted results from 62 polling stations.

Both constituencies were declared for candidates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Meanwhile, she has called on President Akufo-Addo and the President-elect John Mahama to beef up security and ensure a safe environment for the EC to re-collate results for the outstanding constituencies.

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Speaking at the commissioning of a new office complex for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration on Tuesday, December 17, the President highlighted how the successful elections reinforced Ghana’s democratic credentials.

“The peaceful conduct of the presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7, 2024, stands as a testament to the resilience of our democracy.

“The gracious concession by Vice President Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the NPP presidential candidate, underscores that democracy remains the bedrock of our progress and national unity,” he said.

John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) reclaimed the presidency with 56.55% of valid votes, amounting to 6,328,397 votes, while his main contender, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), garnered 4,657,304 votes.

President Akufo-Addo expressed optimism that Ghana’s democratic legacy would endure, ensuring peace, stability, and progress for the nation.

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According to him, the IGP should be commended for the professionalism exhibited by the police force.

Speaking to Adom News, Mr. Appiah highlighted that, for the first time in Ghana’s electoral history, no police officer was reported for misconduct or unprofessional behavior during the election.

“It is the first time in our electoral history that no police officer was involved in any form of misconduct. In fact, some officers had to run for their lives,” he remarked,

He emphasized the dedication of the police force amidst challenging circumstances.

His comments come in response to remarks made by Dominic Nitiwul, the Minister of Defence and Member of Parliament for Bimbilla, during parliamentary proceedings on December 16.

Mr Nitiwul had stated that election security is solely the responsibility of the IGP and the Election Security Task Force, as agreed since 2008, and should not involve political appointees.

While acknowledging the violence and unrest that marred the elections, Mr. Appiah argued that, much of the disorder stemmed from the actions of political party supporters rather than lapses in police performance.

“The incidents that occurred were largely due to the actions of party supporters,” he noted.

Mr. Appiah further called on political parties to avoid inciting unlawful behavior in the pursuit of power, stressing that such actions undermine Ghana’s democracy.

“Political parties must do their homework and ensure they don’t encourage their supporters to engage in unlawful acts for the sake of power. This should not be repeated in the future,” he cautioned.

Source: Jagri Boaz Binyinjom

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Reflecting on the election outcome, he said while he always knew the party would win, he was overwhelmed by the margin of victory in certain constituencies.

He pointed to surveys from organizations such as CDD, Global Info, and other researchers, which predicted an NDC win.

Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme, Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo remarked, “Ghana is now green,” referring to the widespread support the NDC received across the country, including traditionally strongholds of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

He also noted that even the Eastern Region, traditionally an NPP stronghold, had almost “turned green” as the NDC secured significant victories there.

“I am not surprised by the results; it took a lot of planning, focus, and determination to stay the course. The interventions we introduced played a key role in helping us gain power. The victory is the result of the strategic decisions we made as a party” he said.

According to him, after losing the 2020 elections, the NDC never rested.

“We conducted a thorough review and soul-searching. Since that time, I haven’t slept until the December 7, 2024 elections, which we won.”

In his view, the party’s success was due to a collective effort to make the NDC more attractive to voters.

Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo also acknowledged that going into the December 7 elections, the NDC and John Dramani Mahama’s brand were “very attractive.”

“Ghanaians spoke loudly by voting for Mahama massively. The results showed the NDC’s strong connection with the people” he said.

He took the opportunity to thank God for the party’s victory.

“I never discounted the God factor, especially in these elections.”

The December 7, 2024 elections reshaped Ghana’s political landscape, with the NDC securing a parliamentary majority and John Dramani Mahama emerging victorious in the presidential race, defeating the NPP’s candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

OFOSU AMPOFO ON NDC VICTORY

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The angry constituents blocked the road in front of the EC office, causing vehicular traffic from the Ridge Hospital towards Adabraka amidst the burning of tyres.

The supporters are demanding a redeclaration of the parliamentary results, insisting the NDC candidate, Felix Odartey Lamptey won.

The EC has officially declared the New Patriotic Party(NPP) candidate, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, as the MP-elect in the just-ended election.

Mr Shaib polled 32,608 votes, defeating Mr Lamptey who garnered 30,460 votes.

However, the NDC supporters are claiming Jerry did not win on fair grounds, questioning the basis for the declaration.

Personnel from the Formed Police Unit(FPU) swiftly moved in to clear the road, bringing relief to commuters who were stranded in the traffic.

A video shared on X by Accra-based GHOne TV captured the irate supporters expressing frustration and discontent with the EC.

#ElectionHub: Supporters of NDC’s parliamentary candidate for Weija-Gbawe, Felix Nii Odartey have set car tires ablaze at the regional EC office, calling on the electoral body to declare their Parliamentary candidate the winner of the 2024 elections… #GHOneTV #EIBNetwork… pic.twitter.com/WZJdaMFFmX

— GHOne TV (@ghonetv) December 16, 2024

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The former Minister for Gender, Women and Social Protection said she wanted to give the New Patriotic Party(NPP) candidate, Mike Ocquaye Junior the space to operate.

She recalled that after losing the primaries on January 27, she made it clear she will be more involved in the NPP flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign.

Adwoa Safo said this in an interview with journalists when Parliament resumed on Monday, December 16, 2024.

“From the moment I lost that seat in my primary, I made it clear that I would be joined in the national campaign. I was not wavering about that. Because when you have been an MP for 12 years, you still have your supporters, you still have people moving around you.

“I think that my influence is still there. And I want to give my opponent the way and the room and the space to enjoy it and to work the way he wants to work. Not the way I want the constituency to follow suit,” she explained.

Mike Ocquaye Jnr. was confident on succeeding Adwoa Safo in the ninth parliament after defeating her in the NPP primary.

But his hope was dashed as the NPP lost the Dome Kwabenya seat which is deemed its stronghold to the National Democratic Congress(NDC).

The NDC candidate, Faustina Elikplim Akurugu was declared winner amidst series of chaos at the collation centre.

She polled 51,634 votes while Mr Oquaye secured 50,477 votes.

However, Mr Ocquaye has said he will not accept the results, arguing that the declaration was invalid

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According to the Deputy Chair of Corporate Services at the EC, Dr Bossman Asare, the move was necessary to correct irregularities that violated the procedures outlined in Constitutional Instrument (C.I) 127.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, December 14, Dr Asare stated that Regulation 43 of C.I. 127 provides clear guidelines for the collation process during parliamentary elections. However, in some constituencies, these procedures were not followed, necessitating intervention by the Commission.

“When you look at C. I 127, regulation, 43, it specifies the procedure to follow. The 43 starts by saying that each candidate is supposed to have two agents for the collation when it comes to the parliamentary elections. From there, it lists the procedures to be followed. And what the Commission has said very clearly is that, in terms of our collation, all these processes were not followed.

“So literally, the collation we expect to take place in some of these places, they didn’t take place, and once what they did was inconsistent with C. I 127, regulation, 43 then the Commission had the responsibility to ensure that all the things that were done which were not proper were corrected,” he explained.

His remark comes amidst growing concerns from political parties about the relocation of collation centres, re-declaration of results and the overall credibility of the electoral process.

In the Eastern region, the EC relocated the collation of results for four constituencies following disputes over the collation process which became chaotic in some areas.

The move by the Commission aimed to prevent further disruptions at the collation centres.

In light of this, Dr Asare cited specific cases of irregularities in Okaikwei Central, where a declaration was made using results from only 110 or 111 polling stations out of 141. This left about 30 polling station results out of the final tally.

He also referenced another instance in Tema, where a declaration was reportedly made at the regional police command by someone not accredited by the Commission. Dr Asare also noted that there were reports from other areas where declarations were made under duress, including threats at knifepoint.

These incidents, he stated “were inconsistent with the law. The Commission strongly believed that once those things were not followed, then it wasn’t the collation we had expected our officers to do.”

The choice of the Tesano Police Training School as the venue for the re-collation, Dr Asare said, was done in consultation with the Ghana Police Service to ensure a secure environment for the process.

He stressed that the EC’s focus remains on ensuring the credibility of the electoral process, not on influencing the outcome.

“We don’t care about the outcome of the election. We don’t care who is winning here, or who is winning there. What we care about is to protect the integrity of the process, and that process has been clearly specified in law,” he stated.

He assured the public that the EC is committed to transparency and will continue to adhere to the law in its operations.

He added that maintaining the integrity of elections is the only way to sustain public trust in the Commission’s work.

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Speaking on Joy FM’s Newsfile programme on Saturday, December 14, Mr Bentil criticized the EC’s handling of election processes, especially the ongoing re-collation of results for some constituencies in the Eastern Region at the Police Training School in Accra.

“The faults, the errors, the mistakes are properly in the lapses of the EC. It is important we get this right so we can avoid some of these issues in future” Mr Bentil stated.

Mr Bentil also expressed concerns about collation activities taking place outside some constituencies, describing it as contrary to the intent of the existing electoral laws. While acknowledging that in rare cases, alternative venues, such as military barracks, might be necessary, he stressed that final collation must be returned to the constituencies.

“My view is that if it becomes necessary to do collation elsewhere, take it back to the constituencies and finish it there,” he said.

He further urged the EC to adopt a more inclusive and transparent approach, emphasizing the importance of dialogue and negotiation to resolve disputes during collation.

“When the EC shuts the door, they have a right to do so, but when you have an EC that takes the view that any time there’s a problem, the solution is to go to court, we wouldn’t be having these problems now,” he said.

Mr Bentil proposed reforms to rebuild trust in the EC, including the introduction of open recruitment processes for key positions.

“For over 30 plus years, the EC has conducted our elections, and we all know what has been said after each one. It’s time to reform our EC properly. That job should be advertised, interviews conducted, and the right person picked for the role,” he stated.

He concluded by stressing the need for systemic changes to prevent further issues, calling on the EC to take responsibility for ensuring credible and trusted elections in Ghana.

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According to him, the lack of accountability for election-related crimes undermines the country’s democratic processes and encourages more chaos at every election.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newfile on Saturday, on the issues plaguing the electoral system, Mr Braimah pointed to the lack of adherence to legal frameworks as a root cause of recurring challenges.

“For purposes of smooth processes, that’s why we have laws. Laws are made and meant to be followed. So when you have a situation where people, at some point decide to interpret the law in a way that suits their interest and not as the law should be, we’re bound to have some of the challenges,” he stated.

Mr Braimah stated that Ghana’s electoral laws, particularly the Constitutional Instruments (C.I.), have remained unchanged over the years. However, the failure to enforce these laws consistently has created an environment of uncertainty and manipulation.

He raised concern about the country’s apparent unwillingness to hold individuals accountable for election-related crimes.

He lamented the absence of prosecutions for offences committed during past elections, pointing to incidents like the 2020 Techiman South violence, where lives were lost but no one has been punished.

“We remember what happened in Techiman. People lost their lives. As we speak, who has been punished for it? And if care is not taken, what we are witnessing now – if things continue the way we have always had, it means that no one is going to get punished,” he cautioned.

Mr Braimah noted that this lack of accountability encourages more wrongdoing by political actors and even some Electoral Commission (EC) officials.

“Over the years, we’ve sort of tolerated impunity in relation to crimes committed during elections by individuals, by political party actors, and sometimes even by EC officials.

“I don’t remember the last time when after elections, we are told somebody has been prosecuted and jailed this number of years because the person was involved in this offence in relation to the election or otherwise,” he stressed.

He highlighted the perception of bias among election officials, who are often recruited from local communities. He observed that the affiliations of these individuals are usually known, fueling suspicion among voters and political parties.

“At the polling stations and at the constituency levels, the people who are often recruited as election officials are people who are known in the communities where they work. And within the communities, people know the affiliation of these people, and so while they preside or they serve as election officials on the day of elections, there are already suspicions.

“Somebody knows that this person is an NDC supporter, this person is an NPP supporter, and eyes are on them. So at the close of polls, people are watching what would be the tendency, are these people likely to try and do something fishy for this party or that party,” he explained.

While Mr Braimah acknowledged the importance of vigilance during elections, he expressed concern that this vigilance often devolves into recklessness and lawlessness.

He cited instances where party agents interfered with the work of presiding officers, correcting their declarations and even dictating the process.

“I don’t think it is the business of any political party activist or any political party agent to direct a presiding officer on how elections must be declared and how the processes should be done,” he asserted.

Mr Braimah described such behaviour as a dangerous overreach, warning that it disrupts the integrity of the electoral process.

“Vigilance does not mean recklessness or lawlessness, but what we are seeing in this case is vigilance being extended into recklessness and lawlessness,” he said.

He noted that restoring the country’s electoral process requires strict adherence to the rules by all stakeholders, including the EC.

He urged the Commission to ensure that processes are followed without bending the rules or overriding established protocols.

“A lot of rules are bent, a lot of processes are overridden, and as a result, the confusion can be unbearable,” Mr Braimah added.

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According to him, Ghanaians “must stand up” and eulogise the IGP for his comprehensive security plan for the polls despite the pressure he would have been working under.

Speaking on TV3’s Key Points Saturday, the Alan Kyerematen associate said political parties have been impressed by the boldness and expertise of the IGP.

“To be frank, Ghanaians must stand up for Dampare. His security arrangement and strategic planning saved this country. But for him and his team, this country would have probably tipped over.

“We saw how some recalcitrant soldiers behaved, but Dampare insisted that the only time the military will be officially deployed will be under his instruction and he stayed committed to his promise, God bless him for the work he did,” Nana Ohene Ntow noted.

He urged Ghanaians to commend leaders when they leave above expectation just as they condemn leaders who underperform.

Meanwhile, Professor Ransford Gyampo, a political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, has defended the IGP against recent criticisms by ACP Dr Benjamin Agordzo, describing the comments as unwarranted and unfair.

Speaking on Thursday, Professor Gyampo commended the IGP for his transformative leadership of the Ghana Police Service, which he believes has significantly elevated the institution’s reputation and effectiveness.

“The above is unfair and unfortunate. Respectfully, even though there’s freedom of speech, it doesn’t lie in the mouth of my respected retired police officer to be saying these,” Professor Gyampo remarked.

He stressed Dr Dampare’s achievements, including his resilience in office despite challenges, his unwavering commitment to fairness during the recent elections, and his bold defiance of orders that conflicted with his principles as a law enforcement officer.

Professor Gyampo credited the IGP with changing the face of policing in Ghana, noting that he has garnered widespread praise, including from opposition parties, for his impartiality and professionalism.

“This is the only IGP who has survived the plot of removal by his own appointing authority for doing his work well. He is the only IGP who could stop the planned massive deployment of soldiers to cause confusion at some voting centres in the just-ended elections,” he stated, adding that Dampare’s reforms have been widely felt across the country.

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Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile, the Project Manager, Senior Researcher and Analyst at CODEO, Rhoda Osei Afful, stressed that securing collation centres is crucial for ensuring the integrity of the 2024 elections.

She pointed out that these centres are carefully located with security arrangements in place to prevent disruptions and that incidents of supporter interference have, in some cases, delayed the collation and subsequent declaration of winners.

The Senior Analyst raised questions about how political parties are engaging with the Electoral Commission (EC) and other stakeholders, urging them to focus on transparency and trust-building.

“The bottom line is that we must deepen trust and transparency throughout the process. If we fail to do this, everything will be undermined,” she said firmly

Madam Osei-Afful highlighted several proposals aimed at enhancing transparency. She asked, “What measures are you implementing to ensure transparency for your electorate? If physical presence at collation centres is limited, what alternatives will you put in place to track results?” These questions speak directly to the need for political parties to take responsibility for creating a transparent system that doesn’t rely on confrontational tactics.

A key issue discussed was the publication of polling station results. Madam Osei-Afful firmly believes that the EC should release results from individual polling stations.

This, she argues, would decentralize the process and help reduce the undue focus on collation centres.

“If people can access results from polling stations directly, they can verify the figures and make their own calculations, let them be” she noted. This shift towards greater accessibility would allow citizens to take ownership of the results and reduce tensions during the final collation phase.

She also stressed that compiling results from polling stations within a constituency is a manageable task.

However, she warned that achieving this requires full cooperation from all parties. “It would be a mistake to focus solely on the EC and ignore the role of political parties in making the process transparent,” she said, adding that all stakeholders must work together to ensure credibility.

Addressing the ongoing issue of supporter interference at collation centres, Madam Osei-Afful expressed her firm opposition to political parties encouraging such disruptions.

“This is not the right approach,” she stated. “While parties and candidates may have valid concerns, encouraging disruptive behaviour is not the solution. It only creates further problems” she pointed out.

She noted that agents from participating political parties are typically present at collation centres to monitor the process. “If there are concerns, these agents should address them through proper channels, not by rallying supporters to create chaos,” she added.

In conclusion, Madam Osei-Afful called for constructive dialogue between political parties, the EC, and other stakeholders to ensure a fair and transparent election.

She stressed that the focus must remain on securing the process and building trust, rather than fostering a chaotic environment that undermines the integrity of the election.

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Speaking on Joy FM’s Newsfile programme on Saturday, December 14, he categorically denied the claims made by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Organizer, Joseph Yamin.

According to Mr Aboagye, the purported ballot papers in circulation are not official documents from the Electoral Commission (EC).

“The allegations being peddled by Joseph Yamin are baseless and have no merit. The Electoral Commission has stringent processes in place, and there is no room for such manipulations,” Mr Aboagye stated.

He explained that the EC is the sole authority responsible for producing ballot papers, and any claims to the contrary are intended to create unnecessary tension ahead of the elections.

Mr Yamin had earlier alleged that the NPP had printed 500,000 ballot papers to engage in ballot stuffing during the upcoming elections.

He claimed that this was part of a broader scheme by the ruling party to undermine the credibility of the electoral process.

However, Mr Aboagye dismissed these accusations, describing them as a desperate attempt by the opposition to discredit the government.

“Let us focus on the facts and evidence. These claims are unfounded, and as responsible citizens, we must reject attempts to tarnish the integrity of our democratic institutions,” he emphasized.

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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate, Amenorpe Philbert Fummey, has sued the Electoral Commission (EC) seeking a fresh election in the constituency.

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Speaking at his private residence in Accra on Friday, 13 December, during a visit by the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Tong Defa, Mahama reflected on the weight of responsibility that comes with his mandate.

The Ambassador was there to deliver a congratulatory message from Chinese President Xi Jinping on Mahama’s victory in the 2024 general election.

During their interaction, Mahama expressed gratitude for the goodwill message and highlighted the importance of strengthening the bilateral relationship between Ghana and China.

He commended China for its ongoing support in critical sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, and education, noting that these partnerships have been instrumental in advancing Ghana’s development agenda.

The president-elect also assured Ambassador Defa that his doors would remain open for consultations, underscoring his commitment to fostering collaboration between the two nations.

“China has been a reliable partner for Ghana, and I am committed to ensuring that our cooperation continues to grow in a way that benefits both countries,” Mahama stated.

Mahama reiterated his determination to use this term to focus on transformative initiatives that will leave a lasting impact on the nation.

He said, “The easy part is over, which is the elections. Now the difficult part begins, that is bringing Ghana back and restoring it to being the black star of Africa, and I wish to assure you that I will give it my best.”

“This is a legacy term for me, and it would be making a good name for myself before going into political retirement, and so you can count on me working as hard as I can to move Ghana to the place that it should be,” he stated.

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Speaking during an interview on Citi FM on Friday, Agbana emphasized that the election outcome reflected widespread dissatisfaction with the governance provided by the NPP, which ultimately led to their defeat.

According to Agbana, the election results show that the overwhelming majority of Ghanaians were unimpressed by the current administration’s performance.

“The NPP must accept that the election was a verdict on the performance of the Akufo-Addo government. The verdict is that the majority of Ghanaians are not impressed with the kind of governance that the NPP provided,” he stated.

He also noted that the desire for change in leadership was a key factor in the election, pointing to the fact that even constituencies traditionally regarded as NPP strongholds had been won by the opposition.

Mr Agbana further highlighted that the results vindicated President Mahama’s focus on the economy during his campaign.

“The verdict is that President Mahama has been vindicated when he kept saying on the campaign platforms that it is about the economy,” Mr Agbana said.

He explained that the economic concerns voiced by Ghanaians were at the heart of the election, with many citizens seeking improvements in their living conditions.

Reflecting on his campaign experiences, Mr Agbana shared that during their visits to communities across the country, many Ghanaians expressed frustration with the surge in food prices and the unfavourable exchange rate.

“The people wanted improvements in their living conditions. People were complaining about the surge in food prices, people were complaining about the exchange rate,” he added. These concerns, Mr Agbana argued, played a significant role in the electoral outcome.

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The party stated that the action, allegedly initiated by the Savannah Regional Electoral Commission (EC) Director, Johnson Akafiu, is unacceptable and illegal.

The NDC made this known during a press conference addressed by its constituency deputy secretary, Zomira Shaibu, and the Parliamentary candidate, Adam Mutawakilu, in Damongo.

On Sunday, 8 December 2024, a group of young people besieged the Damongo Constituency Collation Centre, vandalized the place, and subsequently set the Electoral Commission’s municipal office warehouse ablaze, scattering electoral materials and forcing the relocation of the collation centre to the regional EC office.

The results were later declared by the Savannah Regional EC Director, Johnson Akafiu, in the presence of media and political parties.

In its statement, the NDC expressed its strong disapproval, describing the action as unacceptable, illegal, and a violation of the electoral processes intended to ensure transparency and fairness.

The party highlighted concerns regarding missing ballot booklets, irregularities, and unauthorised actions by the Municipal Electoral Director.

They alleged that ballot papers were removed from several polling stations without explanation or accountability, and these actions remain unresolved by the EC.

The NDC further stated that the collation of results for the Damongo Constituency was suspended in the early hours of Sunday, 8 December 2024, between 1:30 am and 2:00 am, and has yet to resume.

The party noted that several polling station results remain outstanding, making any declaration premature and invalid. Reports of over-voting at 13 polling stations also remain unresolved, further undermining the integrity of the electoral process.

The party accused Mr Johnson Akafiu of making an unauthorized declaration, noting that he is not the Returning Officer for the Damongo Constituency.

They claimed that the declaration was made in the absence of the official NDC agent and at a secret location, with only security personnel present.

According to the NDC, this act was fraudulent, illegal, and null and void, lacking legitimacy and violating electoral laws.

The NDC demanded that the EC address these issues immediately. They called for the collation and declaration of outstanding polling station results to be conducted transparently and by the legally mandated returning officer.

The party also urged the Commission to investigate the alleged removal of ballot papers and missing ballot booklets and to provide clarity on the circumstances leading to the unauthorized declaration.

The NDC further demanded that the unauthorized declaration made on December 10, 2024, be reversed publicly through the same medium and manner.

They insisted that any future electoral exercises in the constituency must be conducted with proper oversight, accountability, and adherence to established procedures.

In its statement, the party emphasized its commitment to peace and respect for the democratic process but warned against exploiting this commitment as a license for electoral malpractice.

The NDC urged the EC, civil society organizations, and international observers to ensure due process is followed to uphold the integrity of the electoral process in the Damongo Constituency.

“We stand firm in our resolve to protect the will of the people and ensure a free and fair electoral process,” the statement added.

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The NPP’s attempt to “break the eight” and secure a consecutive term in power ended in disappointment, with the party losing the presidency and suffering a substantial decline in its parliamentary representation.

In an interview on Thursday, December 12, Ahiagbah highlighted unresolved issues within the party as a key factor in the election defeat.

While acknowledging that the government’s performance may have influenced voter sentiment, he suggested that the impact of these issues was far less significant compared to the internal conflicts that plagued the NPP.

According to Ahiagbah, the internal rifts within the party were the main contributors to its defeat.

“The problem we are facing now stems from internal issues,” Ahiagbah stated.

“As you know, democracies tend to experience such divisions within political parties. Internal elections can lead to difficult situations, necessitating reconciliations and rebuilding efforts.”

He added, “These issues exist, and once in power, they tend to fester, creating rifts that are challenging to resolve. We acknowledge some of these challenges.”

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Renowned Ghanaian journalist, pollster and Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch newspaper, Ben Ephson, has explained why his prediction for the 2024 general elections failed.

Known for his polling, he has consistently gotten all his political predictions correctly up until the 2016 election, and now the just-ended 2024 elections.

Mr Epson projected a win for the NDC in 2016, which failed. Similarly, his forecast for the 2024 polls in favour of the New Patriotic Party also did not come to fruition.

Speaking on Joy Prime’s Prime Morning show after the election, the pollster explained that the NPP executives and members failed to turn out for their party.

This, according to him, was due to apathy and cannot be detected before any election is conducted.

“Over the past 23 years, I’ve done 8 polls; I’ve missed 2. Now, on both occasions, like this one, for example, it is difficult to know apathy. If you look at 2020 and 2024, the numbers that the NDC got were about the same. NPP’s numbers dropped by about 30%.”

Using the Ashanti Region, which is considered the NPP stronghold, he highlighted that “the votes that the NPP got in 2020 dropped by over 1.2 million in 2024 in Ashanti alone. So that is the problem with polling. It’s difficult to indicate apathy. It was the same thing in 2016.”

During the United States 2016 presidential elections, the Democrat party candidate and former First Lady Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump, invalidating predictions by some pollsters in the US and elsewhere.

Comparing that to Ghana’s polls, Ben Ephson believes that the forecast failed because the majority of blacks did not turn out to vote for Hillary Clinton.

“When she [Hillary Clinton] was campaigning with Obama for a Democrat slot, she took potshots at the Blacks. So when she became a Democrat candidate, they refused to turn out. So that’s one of the problems with polling. You cannot indicate apathy that people will not turn out.

He reiterated that if the remaining 30% of the NPP turned out to cast their ballots for the party, Dr Bawumia would have emerged victorious because he thinks the NDC victory numbers were similar to the previous elections.

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The newly elected MP for Gomoa Central in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen without mincing words declared President Akufo-Addo the caused the humiliating defeat.

“Akufo-Addo caused Bawumia’s loss. The anger against him is the reason people voted against Bawumia. He has refused to listen to advice. Why would you decide to tax sports betting?

“He is not a good leader because he couldn’t have control over the party. This election was a protest vote. He should go home, sit down and analyse the party he is leaving behind. Everybody wanted Ken Ofori-Atta to go but he didn’t listen because he had his interest. Akufo-Addo must publicly tell NPP that he is sorry because he and his people have really benefitted. He must take responsiblity because that’s what leaders do,” he stated.

The Electoral Commission (EC) on Monday, December 9 declared former President John Mahama as the winner of the 2024 presidential election without the results from nine constituencies.

The EC Chairperson, Jean Mensa stated the outfit was yet to receive the results.

However, after collating results nationally, her outfit believes the results from the outstanding constituencies will not affect the general outcome.

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A Plus who is an Independent candidate said the NDC has already reached out to him to work with them in Parliament.

However, he said the NDC must be committed to the development of his constituency which is a priority to him.

In an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Wednesday, he cautioned the NDC not to allow their super majority to get into their heads.

Instead, the urged the NDC to avail themselves for engagement and consensus building.

“The roads from Gomoa Lome to Asebu are terrible. There are no good roads in the constituency. They should put us in their plans because Gomoa Central is part of Ghana and I will join.

“We are experts in bringing governments down and I will spend time to ensure that. We don’t want that so let’s do this nicely. I want development for Ghana and Gomoa,” he stated.

According to him, the NDC’s proposed 24-hour economy is a transformative policy and the Mahama-led government must ensure its effective implementation to boost employment.

Meanwhile, A Plus said the NPP is yet to reach out but will prioritise the options both parties will present.

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A Plus has said he knew he would be elected as MP in the 2024 election way back in 2020.

He disclosed this in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme on Wednesday.

According to him, as a son of the land, he did not think any of his contenders aside from him would win.

“I was born in Gomoa Asebu and that is like my town. My father built the first private school in the town. I know most of the people by name and parents. We are a big family and I was wondering why anybody would win the election,” he stated.

Kwame A Plus secured an overwhelming victory with 14,277 votes out of 36,026 total valid votes cast.

Ahead of the election, he targeted 45% votes and defeated the incumbent MP and NPP candidate, Naana Eyiah Quansah.

Madam Quansah who doubles as Deputy Interior Minister polled 11,637 votes while the NDC’s Yawson Mohammed came third with 10,112 votes.

Naana Eyiah, has served two terms in Parliament after winning the seat in 2016 and 2020 with commanding margins.

She was confident about retaining the seat.

However, A Plus has said the other contenders are not known by the constituents hence his victory.

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In a statement issued on Wednesday, December 11, Ms. Nabla condemned the reported acts of violence and vandalism allegedly carried out by NDC supporters, calling them a direct assault on Ghana’s democracy and a threat to the nation’s orderly transition process.

“These acts of aggression, destruction, and intimidation are an affront to Ghana’s democracy and a blatant attempt to undermine the rule of law,” she stated.

“The NDC appears intent on taking over state institutions without waiting for the official handing-over ceremony and the inauguration of the President-elect. Such lawlessness undermines the democratic principles on which our nation is built.”

“If this is the NDC’s version of democracy, one can only imagine the tyranny and chaos that would characterize a military regime. State institutions are the pillars of our democracy, and their independence must be safeguarded against political intimidation and violence,” she added.

Ms Nabla called on security agencies to intensify efforts to restore order and prosecute individuals involved in the unrest.

She also appealed to civil society organizations, the international community, religious bodies, academia, and the media to join in condemning the violence.

“We urge the security forces to take swift action by arresting the perpetrators of these crimes. The law must be enforced to serve as a deterrent to those who seek to destabilize our nation through violence and intimidation,” she said.

“Silence in the face of such lawlessness is tantamount to complicity. If these critical institutions fail to act, it signals acceptance of violence as a legitimate tool for political engagement—a norm that threatens the very fabric of our democracy.

“The People’s National Party remains steadfast in its commitment to peace, justice, and the rule of law. We urge all stakeholders to uphold the sanctity of our state institutions and protect the democratic values that bind us as a nation,” she added.

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The NDC supporters are mainly from the Ablekuma North constituency.

There is fierce resistance by the irate supporters who engaged military and police personnel deployed to the premises in a near clash.

The supporters are demanding the declaration of its candidate, Ewurabena Aubynn as the MP-elect amidst attempts to invade the EC office, where the collation of ballots for the fiercely contested is ongoing.

The security personnel mounted barricades to prevent the mammoth crowd gathered outside the office.

They have expressed frustration over the delay in the collation process, which has been prolonged due to disputes over the results.

Currently, some leadership of both the NDC and New Patriotic Party(NPP) are at the EC office, trying to urge calm.

EC officials were unable to complete the collation of results at the constituency level on Monday as agitated party supporters forcefully broke into the collation room, causing chaos.

They destroyed parts of the building’s burglar-proof security and scattered pink sheets while journalists and observers fled to safety.

The agitations follows claims of 18 missing pink sheets during the collation of presidential results due to which the exercise was moved to the regional office.

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In a statement that resonates with themes of healing and progress, Jonah confronted the complex aftermath of an electoral process that saw both democratic achievement and loss, urging Ghanaians to transcend political divisions and focus on collective national development.

The statement comes in the context of an election that, while largely peaceful, was marred by the loss of four lives – a stark reminder of the potential human cost of political tensions.

His intervention, drawing on both contemporary challenges and the historical wisdom of Ghana’s founding father Dr. Kwame Nkrumah seeks to reframe the national conversation from electoral competition to collaborative nation-building, emphasising the need for institutional strengthening and economic recovery in a period of significant national uncertainty.

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Read his statement below:

Fellow Ghanaians,

As a nation, we have once again demonstrated our commitment to democracy by conducting another round of presidential and parliamentary elections. The largely peaceful nature of the process is a testament to the maturity of our democracy, our institutions’ resilience, and the Ghanaian people’s dedication to safeguarding the foundations of our republic.

However, we cannot ignore the tragic and unwarranted loss of four lives during this election. These losses are deeply troubling and unacceptable. No Ghanaian should have to pay the ultimate price for exercising their civic rights. The sanctity of life is paramount, and I call on all Ghanaians to join me in condemning this regrettable occurrence. I urge the relevant authorities to investigate these incidents thoroughly, hold those responsible accountable, and implement measures to ensure this never happens again.

Let me take this opportunity to commend the Electoral Commission and the Ghana Police Service for their overall performance during this crucial exercise. Despite the challenges, their efforts have preserved the credibility of the process and the peace of the nation.

This is now a time for unity and reflection. Elections, by their nature, can be divisive. But as the dust settles, let us not allow our differences to overshadow our shared destiny.

Our focus must now shift to rebuilding our economy, which is grappling with significant challenges, and strengthening the institutions that underpin our national stability.

Ghana stands at a critical juncture. It is my fervent hope that leaders on all sides of the political spectrum will prioritize the welfare of our people and the progress of our nation.

I urge Ghanaians, regardless of political affiliation, to work together in the spirit of patriotism and solidarity.

In the words of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, “The task ahead is great indeed, and heavy is the responsibility; and yet it is a noble and glorious challenge.” Let us rise to this challenge with determination and unity. Together, we can build a brighter, stronger, and more inclusive Ghana.

May God bless our homeland Ghana and make her great and strong.

Thank you.
Sam Jonah OSG

Former President, John Mahama emerged the winner of the 2024 general elections after polling 6,328,397 representing 56.55%.

The Vice President and presidential candidate of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, secured 4, 657, 304, representing 41.61%.

Expectations for cedi

Before the December 7 elections, the Bank of Ghana assured that it had enough dollar buffers to support the cedi.

In addition, there were fears uncertainty surrounding the elections could cause the cedi to depreciate.

However, some observers say events after the December 7 elections will not negatively impact the cedi due to the peaceful nature it was conducted.

It is anticipated that the development could result in the cedi gaining in the coming days.

For many, the peaceful elections also send a positive signal to investors and donor partners about Ghana’s matured democracy.

Some offshore investors engaged by JOYBUSINESS say Dr. Bawumia’s decision to concede defeat signaled a positive path.

Cedi news  

On December 10, 2024, the dollar was going for GH₵16.20 by some forex bureaus.

The British Pound was going for GH₵20. 20.

The Euro was trading at GH₵17.00.

Meanwhile, commercial banks are selling a dollar for GH₵14.80.

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During a brief ceremony in Accra, 48 hours after the election, Mrs. Mensa revealed that results had been collated from 267 out of the 276 constituencies.

Nine constituencies remained unreported due to disruptions at EC offices by political party supporters, which hindered the completion of the collation process.

She explained, “We have not been able to receive results from 9 constituencies because our offices have been besieged by political parties’ supporters, making it impossible to complete the collation process.”

In total, 13 presidential candidates, including four independents, were approved for the race.

However, prior to the election, one candidate passed away, leaving 12 contenders in the presidential race.

The EC Chairperson reported that the total number of valid votes cast was 11,191,422, while invalid votes amounted to 239,109, making the total votes cast 11,430,531.

As the returning officer, Mrs. Mensa announced that John Mahama, the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), secured 6,328,397 votes, representing 56.55% of the total vote.

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the vice president and presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), garnered 4,657,304 votes, representing 41.61%.

Other candidates included:

• Daniel Augustus Lartey Jnr. of the GCPP with 16,673 votes (0.15%)
• Christian Kwabena Andrews of GUM with 16,461 votes (0.15%)
• Kofi Akpaloo of LPG with 5,219 votes (0.09%)
• Mohammed Frimpong of the NDP with 4,413 votes (0.04%)
• Nana Akosua Frimpomaa of the CPP, the only female candidate, with 23,391 votes (0.21%)
• Hassan Ayariga of the ACP with 17,461 votes (0.06%)

The four independent candidates—Kofi Koranteng, George Twum Barimah-Adu, Nana Kwame Bediako, and Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen—received the following votes:

• Kofi Koranteng: 3,320 votes (0.03%)
• George Twum Barimah-Adu: 3,091 votes (0.02%)
• Nana Kwame Bediako: 84,488 votes (0.75%)
• Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen: 31,202 votes (0.28%)

Mrs. Mensa concluded by stating that the voter turnout for the election, based on the 267 constituencies, stood at 60.9%.

The NPP Youth Organiser, Salam Mustapha disclosed this at a press conference on Monday, December 9, 2024.

He said the residence in the constituency has been vandalised by suspected thugs of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Despite not disclosing the extent of damage and when exactly the incident happened, Mustapha said the information got to them on Monday afternoon.

He lamented that, the act was part of pockets of violence suffered by its supporters across the country following their setback in the just-ended election.

Mustapha indicated Yendi and its Tolon MP, Habib Iddrisu’s residence was also under attack.

“That you have won elections so the country should flame up? We didn’t go attacking people when we won the 20116 and 2020 election. So why should the NDC subject as to this horror?” he questioned.

He called on the Police to swiftly arrest the perpetrators and bring them to book, stressing the attacks were shameful and cruel.

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The incident was triggered after a man (identity unknown) attempted to prevent the vehicle of the NDC Eastern Regional Chairman, Dr. Mark-Oliver Kevor from entering the premises.

The confrontation did not go down well with the driver who engaged in a near fisticuffs with the man.

It took the intervention of the Police and some party executives of both sides to separate the two.

The confrontation did not end after the NDC chairman entered the EC office.

The NDC executives present at the EC office blamed the Nsawam Adoagyiri MP, Frank Annoh- Dompreh of being the cause of the tension.

They accused him of refusing to concede defeat to the the NDC candidate, Philibert Selorm Fummey in the hotly contested parliamentary primary, on Saturday.

Dissatisfied with the turn of events, one of the followers of Annoh- Dompreh threatened to beat the regional organizer of the NDC, Hackman Seidu Kabore if he dared confront the MP.

This led to a near free-for-all fight between supporters of both parties.

Once again, the police led by the regional commander, DCOP Emmanuel Twumasi Ankrah intervened.

The EC on Monday had called to resolve all parliamentary election results disputes in some constituencies after Saturday’s elections.

The affected constituencies are; Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Suhum, Fanteakwa North and Suhum constituencies.

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