By Philip Antoh
A former Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Akwasi Opong-Fosu, has urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to consolidate the achievements of President John Dramani Mahama while undertaking a comprehensive renewal of the party ahead of future elections.
He made the call during an engagement with the NDC Western Region Caucus as part of consultations ahead of his formal declaration of contesting for the Chairmanship position of the party.
Opong-Fosu said the NDC’s immediate responsibility is to deliver on the mandate entrusted to it by Ghanaians, but argued that this must go hand in hand with efforts to strengthen the party internally.
He emphasised the need to preserve the legacy of President Mahama and ensure that the administration’s achievements become a foundation for the long-term growth of both the NDC and the country.
He said the party must reconnect with its grassroots, improve internal cohesion, and ensure that its structures are responsive to the aspirations of ordinary Ghanaians.
The former minister framed his proposed direction for the party around “restoration, renewal and resetting.”
He explained that restoration should involve returning to the values and principles that have sustained the NDC, while renewal should focus on changing the mindset and commitment of party members.
The resetting, he said, should involve a fresh approach to the party’s structures and operations in response to Ghana’s changing political and developmental landscape.
Opong-Fosu also called for an inclusive NDC where every member has a stake in the party’s future.
He stressed the importance of strengthening the relationship between the party’s leadership and its grassroots, arguing that the NDC’s strength depends on meaningful participation across all levels
For him, the party’s future must be built around “unity, discipline, institutional strength and a renewed commitment to the founding ideals of probity, accountability and social justice.”
The engagement with the Western Region Caucus is part of a series of consultations Opong-Fosu is undertaking with stakeholders within the NDC before making a formal declaration of contesting for the National Chairmanship position.