Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, has declared that members of the party are not only resilient but currently better off than their counterparts in the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He made this assertion while responding to concerns from some aggrieved NDC supporters who feel sidelined or mocked by their political opponents.
“They are not being mocked. Every single NDC member is better off today than an NPP member,” Gbande said in direct response to complaints that grassroots members were being neglected or overlooked under its administration.
Gbande emphasized the need for party unity and loyalty to the leadership’s direction, even in the face of internal frustrations or the absence of direct benefits.
“They may be hungry because food is not on the table yet, or money is not in their pockets yet. But you would agree with me that what President Mahama has done and what he started is a novelty in this country”
Mustapha Gbande, Deputy General Secretary of the NDC
While some have called for disciplinary action against individuals serving in the presidency who have become controversial within party ranks, Gbande took a more measured position, suggesting reassignment instead of dismissal.
“I stand in solidarity with the visions of our leader,” he said, affirming his ongoing support for the president’s decisions and approach so far.
2028 Election Talks
About internal party strategies for the 2028 elections, Gbande dismissed any notion that President Mahama was preoccupied with political succession or personal legacy.
“I work with the president now, and I have not sensed any focus on what is the 2028 election or what is tomorrow’s election.
“Day in, day out, the president has been busy being committed to navigating our country through the complex path of resetting”
Mustapha Gbande, Deputy General Secretary of the NDC
Gbande explained that there was a lot of work to do in the country given the ills that prevailed under the last 8 years of President Akufo-Addo and the NPP. He highlighted the president’s efforts at national renewal and stabilisation to secure the country’s future.
On internal wrangling, Gbande assured that the party was not at risk of fragmentation due to competing ambitions. Drawing from historical lessons, he maintained that the party leadership was firmly in control and determined to maintain unity.
“I’m a deputy general secretary and we have been put in place to manage the party. We are not going to allow individual ambitions that haven’t crystallized into party ambition yet to disintegrate our party”
Mustapha Gbande, Deputy General Secretary of the NDC
He noted that while it was important for ambitious members to rise, such aspirations must be channelled in ways that reinforce party cohesion and position in the grand scheme of things.
Cocoa Collapse
Gbande took a direct swipe at the former administration of President Nana Akufo-Addo, accusing it of failing the very constituency it claimed to represent.
He criticised the unfortunate lack of industrial development in the Ashanti Region and attributed the decline in the cocoa sector to “not (only) as a result of incompetence, but prioritized corruption.”
“They – never constructed a single factory in the Ashanti region,” he said, stating categorically that the cocoa sector collapsed under President Nana Akufo-Addo.
He stressed the significance of the cocoa sector to the Akan people, many of whom have traditionally supported the NPP, and argued that the collapse of the industry under their own party’s leadership was a betrayal.
Gbande’s remarks reflect an assertive posture by the NDC, seeking to consolidate its base while affirming confidence in the president’s ongoing economic reforms and broader governance approach.
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