Professor Henry K. Prempeh, Executive Director of the Center for Democratic Development (CDD) Ghana, has delivered a candid critique of the two major political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Speaking at the First Anniversary Public Lecture held in honour of the late lawyer and activist Akoto Ampaw, Professor Prempeh described both parties as “self-centred groups” that primarily focus on their loyal voter bases rather than the broader interests of the nation.
He highlighted the egocentric nature of Ghana’s democracy, where the two dominant political forces seem more concerned with maintaining their political influence in certain regions than promoting genuine democratic governance.
Professor Prempeh also pointed to a significant instance in 2019 where both parties, fearful of losing political control in local elections, withdrew support for a crucial constitutional referendum.
This referendum, scheduled for December 17, 2019, aimed to amend the Constitution to allow political parties to participate in local government elections, but it was called off at the last minute due to the actions of the NPP and NDC.
According to him, this move underscores how both parties prioritize their own political stakes over meaningful democratic reforms.
He argued that the political landscape is being driven by narrow partisan interests, to the detriment of broader national development and effective local governance.
Professor Prempeh’s remarks called for a reevaluation of the country’s democratic processes, urging both political parties to consider the long-term interests of the Ghanaian people, rather than merely seeking to safeguard their own political gains.
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