The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Akyem Swedru Constituency, Hon. Kennedy Osei Nyarkoh has outlined a bold set of proposals aimed at overhauling the party’s internal structures.

His suggestions, which focus on transforming the party into a more inclusive and efficient political organization, seek to address pressing issues such as monetization in internal elections and grassroots mobilization challenges.

In a detailed statement titled “Some Reforms the Party Can Consider Going into the Future,” Hon. Nyarkoh advocated for six key measures that, if implemented, could redefine how the NPP operates at the national, regional, and constituency levels.

“What we have to do as a party in the near future is to run the national party as an organization by appointing or recruiting a top-notch administrator to run the national secretariat with supporting staff.”
Hon. Kennedy Osei Nyarkoh, NPP Member of Parliament for Akyem Swedru Constituency

Arguing that the current delegate system has fostered monetization and weakened party cohesion, Hon. Nyarkoh proposed that all registered card-bearing members of the NPP should be empowered to elect the flagbearer directly.

He emphasized that this shift would democratize the selection process and reduce the influence of money in decision-making.

The MP further called for parliamentary candidates to be selected through the same open process as the flagbearer, asserting that following their selection, candidates would be allowed to appoint their own campaign teams to lead efforts at the constituency level, ensuring tailored and localized strategies.

Empowering Grassroots Mobilization

Hon. Nyarkoh also highlighted the importance of grassroots participation, urging the party’s Parliamentary Candidates and their constituency campaign teams to invite volunteers and mobilizers from polling stations to spearhead campaigns.

This, he explained, would foster greater engagement and ownership of the party’s agenda among members at the grassroots level.

To improve synergy, Hon. Nyarkoh proposed that constituency teams collaborate closely with national and regional teams, which would be appointed by the flagbearer. Such coordination, he noted, would ensure consistency in messaging and resource allocation during campaigns.

“The only elections we should have internally as a party should be the selection of the flagbearer and the PC. We should do away with the national, regional and the polling station elections completely.”
Hon. Kennedy Osei Nyarkoh, NPP Member of Parliament for Akyem Swedru Constituency

Benefits of the Proposed Reforms

Hon. Nyarkoh underscored the transformative potential of these reforms, noting that they could significantly reduce monetization in internal elections and enhance the sense of responsibility and belonging among party members.

“When every party member feels part of the running of the party from the grassroots to the top it makes the party organization and running of grassroots campaigns more effective and efficient,” he stated.

Contrary to calls for expanding the NPP’s electoral college, Hon. Nyarkoh argued that such a measure would not adequately address the challenges of monetization.

Instead, he advocated for the adoption of a volunteer-driven system that involves every party member in the decision-making process.