Former Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Acheampong, has urged the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) to rise to the expectations of Ghanaians, stressing that with the party’s accumulated political experience, failure is not an option in implementing its flagship 24-hour economy policy.
Speaking with calm but deliberate caution, he indicated that the party now carries the weight of democratic responsibility more than ever before.
“NDC this time around cannot fail us with this policy (the 24-hour economy) they have brought because by the arrangement you need to give us your wish list, which is your manifesto, by which we’ll be able to measure you when you’ve been given the mandate like NDC has been”
Seth Acheampong, Former Eastern Regional Minister
Acheampong acknowledged that while it is still early days in President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, Ghanaians are watching closely and will soon begin to assess the government not merely by promises, but by tangible delivery.
“I’m not hard on them because they are just six months into the administration. If I criticize the policy this morning it’ll be too soon because it has not yet been implemented”
Seth Acheampong, Former Eastern Regional Minister
Acheampong pointed out that historically, the NDC has had more opportunity to govern and has matured through its transitions in the Ghanaian political scene.
“The current core of the NDC can’t fail us as Ghanaians, as a people, because they have experienced a revolutionary practice metamorphosed into a democratic dispensation and they have lived it”
Seth Acheampong, Former Eastern Regional Minister
In his view, this places the party in a better position to deliver sustained governance outcomes.
Drawing comparisons to his own political party’s tradition, he stated that beyond former President Kufuor, who had a unique grounding through experiences with both former Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia and former President Jerry John Rawlings, many of their operatives lacked such deep administrative exposure.
Beyond Politicians
He cautioned against a narrow focus on politicians when assessing national failures, asserting that the state bureaucracy must also be held accountable.
“Because it’s not just politicians at fault. The politician would just dream but implementing will happen with the public service structure we have as a country. So if there are failures and we’re doing an evaluation, that is how we have to do the evaluation”
Seth Acheampong, Former Eastern Regional Minister
For Acheampong, real national evaluation must move beyond simplistic blame games and encompass both vision and execution on the grand scale.
In a moment of personal reflection, he admitted that his perspective had evolved over the years. Once a vocal political youth, Acheampong now believes measured and legacy-focused contributions are what Ghana needs.
He described the energetic back-and-forth in political discourse as “JCR conversation” – a reference to the vibrant but sometimes directionless debates common in Junior Common Rooms across Ghanaian universities.
“The JCR conversation of push and pull has taken us nowhere,” he lamented. At his age, he said that introspection has led him down the path of accountability, setting aside partisanship, to wonder what he has been able to achieve to help the country and his community as a politician.
“My reasoning is different from when I used to be that young person jumping and talking. Now I want to see some legacies in our politics,” he said, concluding that his goal now is to contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s progress as a statesman.
As the Mahama administration begins to operationalise its 24-hour economy agenda, voices like Acheampong’s serve as both a warning and a hope that Ghana’s political leadership will act with foresight, maturity, and a commitment to lasting change.
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