February 5, 2025
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Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, Chair of NPP’s 2024 Election Review Panel

The New Patriotic Party (NPP), still smarting from its crushing electoral defeat at the hands of President John Dramani Mahama, has launched a lavish GHC12.56 million probe into what went wrong—an exercise that many see as a wasteful attempt to state the obvious.

In a decision that has sent shockwaves through its ranks, the NPP’s National Executive Council (NEC) has established an 11-member Election Review Committee chaired by Prof. Rev. Aaron Mike Oquaye, former Speaker of Parliament. Announced at a NEC meeting in Accra, the committee is tasked with identifying the reasons behind the party’s failure at the polls and suggesting strategies for its revival.

The GHC12.56 million allocated for the committee has sparked outrage among party members and the public alike. Nearly half of this sum—an estimated GHC6 million—is reportedly being spent on luxurious office accommodation. Many are questioning the need for such extravagance for a fact-finding mission.

“Why does a temporary committee need plush offices in Accra when their job should involve travelling to the constituencies?” fumed an irate party member. “If the grassroots are the issue, they should be talking to the grassroots, not sitting in fancy offices sipping tea!”

Even the party’s National Treasurer, Dr Charles Dwamina, is said to have expressed reservations about the bloated budget, which has left many wondering whether the party has learned anything from its loss.
All attempts to get a response from the Treasurer, Charles Dwamena, have gone unanswered.

For critics, the NPP’s decision to spend millions analysing its defeat smacks of cluelessness. Observers argue that the reasons for the party’s fall from grace are glaringly obvious: poor economic management, rising unemployment, and a disconnect with the everyday struggles of Ghanaians.

“Do they really need millions to tell them they lost because they failed the people?” a political analyst quipped. “The people sent their message loud and clear at the ballot box.”

The irony of the committee’s luxurious spending hasn’t been lost on Ghanaians. Many see the move as yet another example of the wastefulness that characterised the NPP’s time in office—a perception that helped pave the way for their defeat.

As the committee embarks on its mission, scepticism is rife about whether its findings will lead to meaningful change. Many party insiders believe the report will gather dust, just like similar reviews in the past.
“This isn’t about learning lessons; it’s about creating the illusion of action,” said a frustrated party supporter. “They’ve spent more time blaming each other than addressing the real issues.”

The NPP’s spending spree has not gone unnoticed by the public. For many Ghanaians, it’s a slap in the face to see the party waste millions on a post-mortem while ordinary citizens continue to grapple with economic hardships.

As the backlash mounts, the NPP finds itself at a crossroads. Will the committee’s work result in genuine reform, or is this yet another futile exercise in political posturing?

For now, the party’s extravagant approach to self-reflection has only reinforced the public perception that the NPP remains out of touch with the realities of the people it claims to serve.

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