Justin Kodua Frimpong
General Secretary

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has sighted a flippant statement signed by the General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), on comments made by Bryan Acheampong, Member of Parliament for the Abetifi Constituency and Minister for Food and Agriculture while addressing some party supporters in the Eastern Region which the NDC describes as treasonable.

The NPP finds the NDC’s statement not only ill- founded, hypocritical, illogical, and baseless, but also one that lacks contextual substance for the consumption of the discerning Ghanaians who are not oblivious to the modus operandi of the main opposition party in deliberately putting diabolic and mischievous slant to an otherwise innocuous comments of the Member of Parliament in furtherance of their selfish political interest.

Since the NDC pretends not to appreciate and logically decode Bryan’s message, we would once again educate them, just as we have done on many occasions. For the avoidance of doubt, Hon Bryan Acheampong, was responding to the NDC’s perpetual flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, who had on many occasions described the 2024 general elections as one of “do or die” for the NDC. It is, in fact, a no secret that the NDC has always resorted to violence and intimidation against their opponents during the conduct of general elections, and this was summed up by their 2024 presumptive presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama. He has stated emphatically that:

“NDC has revolutionary root, and that when it comes to unleashing violence, nobody can beat us [NDC] in unleashing violence”.

Other leading members of the NDC, including Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the national chairman of the Party, have made similar threatening and malicious comments. Indeed, following his election as National Chairman, Asiedu Nketiah stated in his victory speech that, the NDC would fight the 2024 general elections to win a second independence for Ghana, and that, they are prepared to sacrifice everything including their lives for an NDC victory.

In was in response to these myriad of reckless and treasonable comments from the NDC that Hon. Bryan Acheampong gave encouragement to supporters of the NPP, who may feel intimated by the many threats coming from the NDC, that, under no circumstance should they feel intimated because the NPP has men of courage who can rise to the defense of our democracy and the 1992 Constitution of the Republic as enshrined in Article 3 of the Constitution.

Hon. Bryan, thereupon, proceeded to give NPP supporters a firm assurance that the Party [NPP] will not lose the 2024 general elections and hand power to the NDC but will do everything to retain power. Considering the steps being taken by the Akufo-Addo-led government to tackling Ghana’s socioeconomic challenges, which have begun bearing positive dividends, and also by the conduct of the NPP since the advent of the Fourth Republic, Bryan Acheampong’s comment can only be interpreted to mean that the NPP, just as it has done in the past, is determined to do everything legally possible to win the 2024 general elections. The NPP’s track record of winning elections through free, fair, and transparent means is not in doubt at all.

It is thus nerve-wracking to see the very persons who have over time made the worst of unguarded statements, and acted in a manner that has the potential to subvert the nation’s democratic order and plunge the country into chaos and instability, to turn around and cry foul of a statement that seeks to energize the base of the NPP, give assurance of hope to party faithfuls and the Ghanaian citizenry. Ghanaians are fully awoken to such gimmicks by the NDC.

The NPP considers the NDC’s attack on Bryan Acheampong not only unwarranted but also attention seeking with an ill attempt to emotionally blackmail Ghanaians to court their support.

From the foregoing, if anybody has to be arrested by the Police for treasonable comments, then certainly it is John Dramani Mahama for his continuous “Do or die for the NDC ” in reference to the 2024 general elections, and Asidedu Nketiah for his brazen proclamation that members of the NDC are willing to sacrifice their lives to win the 2024 elections.

We wish to conclude by once again assuring the good people of this great nation that the NPP remains a peace-loving party and would not do anything to jeopardize the peace and security of the state. We hold the enviable title as the bastion of democracy in Ghana and on the African continent, and this, we intend to guard jealously. The 2024 general elections shall be free, fair, and the most transparent elections in the Fourth Republic, and by the grace of God, the NPP would emerge victors to continue our transformation agenda.

Thank you

..Signed…

JUSTIN KODUA FRIMPONG
GENERAL SECRETARY

The family of the late Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, a former Member of Parliament for the Tafo-Pankrono Constituency in the Ashanti Region and former Minister of State, on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, called on the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to officially notify the Party about the demise of their beloved and the arrangements for his burial and final funeral rites.

Responding to the call and invitation from the family, Lawyer Justin Kodua Frimpong, General Secretary of the NPP, in a brief statement, intimated that like several other Ghanaians, the leadership of the Party has been devasted by the sad news of the death of Dr. Akoto, and has since been grieving . He recounted the unquantifiable contributions of Dr. Akoto to the NPP and by extension to mother Ghana. He assured the family of the Party’s cooperation to ensure a befitting burial and final funeral rites for the late illustrious Patriot.

Other National Officers of the ruling Party in attendance were: Mr. Haruna Mohammed, Deputy General Secretary; Mr. Joseph Kwayaja, Deputy National Organiser; Hajia Safia Mohammed, Deputy National Women’s Organiser; Hajia Ayesha Yussif, Deputy Nasara Coordinator; Mr. William Yamoah, Director for Finance and Administration; Mr. Kwame Amponsah-Kyeretwie, Director for External Affairs; Dr. Nyame Baafi, Deputy Director for Research; and Dr. Asiedu Kokro, Deputy Director for Communications.

As disclosed by the family, Dr. Akoto Osei will be laid in state at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra on Saturday, April 15, 2023, and buried at the Lashibi Funeral Home on the same day. His final funeral rites will follow later in the day at the Holy Spirit Cathedral. On Sunday, April 16, 2023, a thanksgiving service will come off at the Christ the King Catholic Church-Accra, to show reverence to God for the accomplished life of the deceased.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has been hard hit by the news of the sudden death of its incumbent Member of Parliament for the Kumawu Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Hon. Philip Atta Basoah.

The demise of Hon. Basoah, which sadly occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, March 28, 2023, comes as a devastating blow to the grief-stricken NPP following the passing of Hon. Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei about a week ago.

The late Hon. Philip Basoah, a long-standing member of our great Party, served as a District Chief Executive of the Sekyere East District from June 2005 to January 2009 and has been a Member of Parliament since 2013.

Owing to his vast experience as a legislator, Hon. Basoah, was appointed as the Chairman of the Employment, Social Welfare and State Enterprise Committee. He also served as a member of the Lands and Forestry Committee as well as the Committee on Selection.

He was a gentle and astute politician whose contributions to the Party, constituents, and the development of Ghana through his work in Parliament cannot be overemphasized. As a Party, we take solace from his legacy of hard work and dedication to our country.

While commiserating with the Parliament of Ghana, the NPP also extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved family, particularly his wife and children, and the good people of Kumawu, for such a great loss.

As a mark of respect in his honour, the NPP directs that all Party flags at its offices across the country fly at half-mast for the next seven days.

May he find peace in the bosom of his maker.

JUSTIN KODUA FRIMPONG

GENERAL SECRETARY

Lawyer Justin Kodua Frimpong, General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Thursday, January 19, 2023, toured the Amasaman, Okakoi North and Ablekuma Central Constituencies in the Greater Accra Region.

His engagements with various stakeholders of the NPP in the constituencies centered on Party’s upcoming primaries, strategies for the 2024 general elections, and reconciliatory efforts to unite the Party front.

He was accompanied by Mr. Chris Lloyd Nii Kwei, Deputy National Organiser; Mr. Evans Nimako, Director for Elections; and Dr. Nyame Baafi, Deputy Director for Research.

Also in attendance were Mr. Divine Otto Agorhom, Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NPP; Madam Joana Frances Adda, Regional 1st Vice Chairperson; Mr. Eric Nartey Yeboah, Regional 2nd Vice Chairman; Mr. Odarlai Parker, Regional Secretary; Mr. Prince Obeng, Regional Organiser; Madam Grace Acheampong, Regional Women Organiser amongst others.

Mr. Lord Oblitey Commey, Director of Operations at the Presidency, also joined the entourage during the visit to the Ablekuma Central Constituency.

24th December, 2022

RE: NPP TO ELECT 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE IN NOVEMBER 2023, PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES IN JANUARY 2024

The attention of the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has been drawn to publications on some online media portals on the above headline. The party wishes to, by this statement, set the records straight on the matter.

To start with, contrary to the claims made in the publication, the National Council of the NPP, at its last meeting, has NOT agreed on any conclusive timelines for the conduct of the Party’s presidential and parliamentary primaries ahead of the 2024 general elections.

The publication is therefore untrue and misleading.

The meeting could not conclude discussions on some proposed dates for the conduct of the primaries. Consequently, the National Council resolved to defer decision on the matter to allow for further stakeholder engagements in the interest of the party.

It is thus expected that at its next meeting, the National Council may revisit this subject matter and hopefully take a definitive decision regarding the timelines for the conduct of the Party’s presidential and parliamentary primaries.

As and when these decisions are taken, the Party will definitely communicate same to all its members, stakeholders and the general public. Until then, the publication referenced above is misleading and should be treated as such.

…Signed…

JUSTIN KODUA FRIMPONG
GENERAL SECRETARY

DECEMBER 21, 2022.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY ADDRESSED BY THE GENERAL SECRETARY, JUSTIN KODUA FRIMPONG, ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE COUNTRY

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen of the media.

We welcome you all to this press interaction and commend you for honouring our invitation at such short notice. We have invited you here to officially communicate the NPP’s position on recent developments in the country including the prevailing socioeconomic conditions.

RECENT ECONOMIC GAINS

Fellow Ghanaians, we cannot begin this press engagement without speaking on recent developments about the economy. As we have previously admitted, our dear country has in the past few months endured some challenging socioeconomic conditions partly attributed to the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and worsened by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Depreciation of the Cedi against major trading currencies particularly the dollar, surge in prices of petroleum products and rising inflation nearly destabilised the local economy.

As the ruling political Party, we received numerous petitions from the length and breadth of the country which implored us and government to urgently address socioeconomic conditions which had increased cost of living for the ordinary Ghanaian and nearly suffocated businesses. Consequently, the leadership of the NPP had several engagements with government with the view to addressing the legitimate concerns so expressed.

It is heart-warming that following these engagements, remedial interventions put in place by the listening Akufo-Addo government are gradually yielding results. As evidenced by all and sundry, the Cedi has, in the past week or two, witnessed significant gains in value, appreciating by some 63.7% against the US dollar as at December 15, 2022. This appreciation has been rightly described by many economic watchers as an unprecedented feat in the history of our country.

Interestingly, our political opponents who were blaming government policies for the cedi depreciation are now saying we should not attribute the gains to government’s interventions. So we ask, if government can be blamed for the cedi depreciation, why can’t the same government be credited for the appreciation in the value of the cedi? We leave that to the judgment of discerning Ghanaians.

We also find as gratifying that owing to the massive appreciation in the value of the cedi, prices of petroleum products at the pump have reduced, resulting in a 15.3% reduction in transport fares as announced by transport unions. Although these developments may not entirely address prevailing socioeconomic conditions in the country, we do believe strongly that they may offer a sigh of relief to Ghanaians especially as we approach the festive season. Certainly, there could not have been a better Christmas gift! On account of the cedi appreciation, reduction in fuel prices and transport fares, we appeal to all manufacturers and traders to also reduce prices of commodities to conform with this reality.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is public knowledge that during the recent socioeconomic upheavals, our political opponents particularly the NDC, tried without success to take advantage of the situation for underserving political mileage. The NDC and Mahama never missed any opportunity to lash out at government even though they knew that the challenges were mainly caused by external factors.

Indeed, this position was recently confirmed by the IMF, through its Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, who, on the September 5, 2022, at the Africa Adaptation Summit in The Netherlands, stated categorically that the economic challenges confronting  Ghana cannot be attributed to government’s policies but rather, exogenous shocks occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. She added that but for these external factors, the Ghanaian economy would have remained strong and resilient.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is interesting that even the NDC’s John Dramani Mahama completely agrees with the NPP government and the IMF that the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine are the root causes of our current socioeconomic challenges. Except that, for John Mahama, he only makes this admission when he is addressing international audiences. However, he tells Ghanaians to blame the Akufo Addo government for all our economic woes and not COVID and the Russia-Ukraine war. How opportunistic!

We, in the NPP, do not shy away from our records, and are ready to debate our political opponents on any day. The Ghanaian people are the best judges. The Ghanaian people have not forgotten the records of John Mahama and the NDC. The Ghanaian people are very much aware of the fact that, during their tenure, even without any global economic crisis, the John Mahama-led NDC government was so overwhelmed by their own incompetence that they could not even keep the lights on, plunging this country into darkness for four years while destroying many livelihoods.

As we can all attest to, the ‘‘dumsor crisis’’ was fixed in the first year of the Akufo Addo administration. The NDC and Mahama could also not implement any social intervention programme to mitigate the suffering of Ghanaians. To make matters worse, the existing ones were either destroyed or cancelled by them. Mention can be made of the teacher trainee allowance, nursing trainee allowance among others.

But in our case, despite the lingering impacts of the global pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, resulting in the worst global socioeconomic crisis in more than 7 decades, the NPP government led by President Akufo-Addo, is still able to sustain its ambitious interventions such as the Free SHS, the One District One Factory (1D1F) initiative among others.

We have also been able to consistently pay salaries on time, and have undertaken unprecedented building of roads and railway infrastructure. Even more significantly, we have been able to keep the lights on. So the difference between us and the NDC is clear. The evidence shows clearly that even in the worst of times, we are better managers of the economy. 

THE NDC CONGRESS AND MATTERS ARISING

The NPP, first, extends a hearty congratulation to the newly elected National Executives of the NDC at the just ended 10^th National Annual Delegates Congress of the Party held at the Ohene Gyan Sports Stadium on December 17, 2022. We equally commend the NDC for holding their internal elections at the various levels.

Ladies and gentlemen, we all know that multiparty democracy is at the heart of every democratic society. It is the most significant measure of the strength of a country’s democratic tenets. If Ghana is to live up to its accolade as the bastion of democracy in Africa, it is imperative that we build a robust democracy that breaks new grounds and serves as blueprint for other countries in Africa and beyond.  

The NPP wants to contest the 2024 general elections with a resilient opposition, a united NDC, and not a disintegrated NDC, so they will have no excuse when we beat them in the elections. This is the reason why we wished the NDC well in their Congress.

CONDEMNATION OF VIOLENT CONDUCT

The NPP wishes to use this opportunity to reiterate its condemnation of the violence and hooliganism that characterized the build up to the National Congress of the NDC, and appeal to them to appreciate that violence should have no place in our body politic.

Much as the NPP agrees with former President John Mahama that the NDC is second to none when it comes to unleashing violence owing to their revolutionary background, we believe strongly that such reckless comments incited their party thugs and vigilantes to perpetrate the violence we witnessed in Cape Coast. We wish to use this occasion in the interest of the nation to admonish the Asiedu Nketiah-led National Executives to take steps to reform the NDC and get rid of the Party’s addiction to violence.

John Mahama was right then, and he is still right today, no political party can match their records when it comes to political violence. We, in the NPP can certainly not compete with the NDC in unleashing violence, and we do not intend to give this an attempt. It is thus an established fact that the NDC has no regard for the nation’s laws. They have no regard for our Criminal Code. They also have no regard for the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act. That is why they are still keeping their vigilante ‘thugs’, who they occasionally unleash to cause chaos in the country.  

It is not surprising that as we speak, the Ghana Police has declared as MOST WANTED, sixteen (16) thugs of the NDC for their violent conduct at the just ended Youth and Women Congress of the Party which was held in Cape Coast on Saturday December 10, 2022, and resulted in some of their thugs and supporters sustaining life-threatening injuries while several properties were destroyed. They virtually turned their congress into a war zone. We encourage members of the general public to assist the police with information that will lead to the arrest of these NDC vigilantes to make them face the full rigours of the law.

Following the public outrage and condemnation of the violence that marred the NDC’s congress at Cape Coast, many would have thought that the Party’s congress in Accra would be incident free. Rather, we witnessed the shocking physical assault of Madam Janet Nabila, General Secretary of the Peoples National Convention (PNC) by some vigilantes of the NDC, resulting in her hospitalisation. Her only crime was that she honoured an invitation extended to her Party by the NDC in line with existing inter-party courtesies where opposing parties are invited to deliver solidarity messages during such events.

DEMAND FOR APOLOGY FROM THE NDC FOR THEIR SELF-CONFESSED MISCHIEVOUS ELECTION PETITION

Ladies and gentlemen, the Ghanaian public would bare us witness to audios and videos on circulation in which Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, National Chairman of the NDC, admits that the leadership of the Party knew they had lost the 2020 General Elections, yet, still went ahead to deceive their supporters and lie to the Ghanaian people that the election was rigged. In pursuit of their clandestine agenda, the NDC, he said, went ahead to challenge the election results at the Supreme Court without a shred of evidence.

The NPP had hoped that the NDC would have used the occasion of their Congress to render an unqualified apology to the nation’s Judiciary and the good people of Ghana for such unpatriotic and disgraceful conduct, which portends a great danger to our democracy and stability of our dear country. Unfortunately, it never happened. Instead, they continued with their campaign of hate against the Judiciary, scandalizing and attacking the very integrity of our revered judges without any justification. This is indeed shameful.

It smacks of dishonesty for John Mahama and the NDC leadership to lie to their supporters that they won the 2020 elections and ask them to jubilate. In fact, the NDC supporters were virtually asked by their leaders to seek justice on the streets because the Electoral Commission had stolen the elections for the NPP. These supporters also blindly followed their leaders and went to town terrorizing innocent Ghanaians going about their normal business. Some of their supporters were so much incited that they had violent confrontations with State security personnel.

The conspiracy to destabilise the country was deeply rooted in the NDC that their Members of Parliament, led by Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader, abandoned their work in Parliament and embarked on an illegal protest to the premises of the Electoral Commission to threaten the Electoral Commissioners.

In effect, the NDC had sought to take the entire nation to ransom for their electoral defeat. Undoubtedly, they wanted to make the country ungovernable. The NDC-induced unnecessary tension was intended to destabilise the country and scare investors, both of which have had adverse impacts on the Ghanaian economy till date.

After intense public opprobrium against their undemocratic and violent conduct, the NDC then decided belatedly, to challenge the outcome of the election by filing a presidential election petition at the Supreme Court even when Tsatsu Tsikata, their lawyer, had advised otherwise as admitted by Asiedu Nketiah. Undoubtedly, they deliberately wasted the Court’s time for months with their unmeritorious petition.

Even the media were not spared of the NDC’s unjustified attacks. As you would recall, reporters of Accra-based United Television (UTV), Citi Fm and other media houses were physically attacked for their coverage of the 2020 general elections and subsequently, the election petition.

We, therefore, wish to reiterate our demand for John Dramani Mahama and the NDC leadership, on account of their own confession, to render an unqualified apology, first, to the nation’s Judiciary, which they have bastardized without justification, and to the rest of the country for wasting everybody’s time and creating unnecessary tension in the aftermath of the 2020 general elections.

Of particular concern to us, is John Mahama’s condescending description of the respected justices of the Supreme Court, as “UNANIMOUS FC”. John Mahama forgets that it was the same Court that affirmed his electoral victory in 2013. Strangely, John Mahama and the NDC didn’t have any problem then. 

The leadership of the NPP has also taken notice of a comment passed by Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, National Chairman of the NDC, during his victory speech at the Party’s National Delegates Congress. To the shock of many Ghanaians, he boldly stated that the NDC is prepared to sacrifice everything including human lives to recapture power in 2024, an obvious threat to national peace and security.

On account of the foregoing, the NPP condemns strongly this nation-wrecking comment and implores other political watchers, the media, National Peace Council, Civil Society Organizations, National House of Chiefs, The Christian Council of Ghana, The Office of the National Chief Imam, the Diplomatic Community and indeed, all well-meaning Ghanaians to join us in demanding an unqualified apology from John Mahama, Asiedu Nketiah, and the NDC for their unpatriotic and disgraceful conducts, which portend a great danger to our democracy and the security of the State.

CONCLUSION

To conclude, the NPP warmly welcomes the new leadership of the NDC to the political table. As confirmed by their National Chairman, we appreciate their difficulty in collating election results over the years, and are willing to provide them with technical support in that regard. We are also ready to engage them on politics of issues, and NOT propaganda and deceit. We invite them to debate us on the records of good governance to enable the Ghanaian people make an informed decision in 2024.

Finally, we appeal to the Ghanaian populace to be patient and have confidence in the NPP government especially when its remedial interventions to socioeconomic conditions in the country are gradually yielding results. We may not be out of the woods yet but we are definitely on track to restoring our country to the path of sustained growth and prosperity.

On the anniversary of the birth of Christ, we would like to wish all Ghanaians a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year in advance.

May God bless our homeland Ghana and make the NPP greater and stronger.

The selfless advocacy of J. E. Casely Hayford, Dr. J. B. Danquah, Paa Grant, Emmanuel Obetsebi Lamptey, Edward Akufo-Addo, William Ofori Atta, Arko Adjei, Kwame Nkrumah, and several others, culminated in the attainment of independence on March 6, 1957.

August 4, is indeed the most historic day in our struggle for nationhood. This day did not only witness the birth of the famous Aborigines’ Right Protection Society, an important milestone in our march for nationhood and self-determination, but was also the day that the UGCC, the First political movement in the country, was founded. This political movement set the stage for our struggle for independence.

The NPP therefore takes this opportunity to appeal to Ghanaians to inculcate the spirit of patriotism and to support the efforts of Government in reviving the country’s economy following the devastating impacts of the Covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war on the global economy.

The Party also entreats all Ghanaians to emulate particularly the selfless patriotism of members of the Big Six, who suffered imprisonment, persecution, and harassment in their quest for a free and independent country.

If we can boldly call ourselves Ghanaians; if we can vote and choose for ourselves the leaders we want, then we should know that others sacrificed for the freedom we enjoy today. The onus, therefore, lies on us, to make sacrifices in making our country a better place for future generations and ourselves.

Once again, the Party wishes all Ghanaians a happy Founders’ Day celebration. May God bless our homeland Ghana and make our Nation greater and stronger.

…Signed…

JUSTIN KODUAH FRIMPONG
(GENERAL SECRETARY)