Activist Urges NPP To Embrace Transparency And Grassroots Empowerment Ahead Of Flagbearership Race

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is facing renewed calls to reform its internal processes, as pressure mounts over what critics describe as a widening gap between party leadership and grassroots members.

Jones Owusu Yeboah, a respected human rights advocate and President of SEWA Foundation Ghana, has criticised the party’s current direction, accusing its leadership of sidelining the grassroots in favour of an “underground campaign” driven by self-interest and power consolidation.

According to Yeboah, the NPP risks undermining its democratic foundations by allowing internal politics to be influenced by money and elite interests, rather than the collective voice of its rank and file.

“There is growing disillusionment among the party’s base,” he said.

“People want to choose their leaders through a transparent, fair, and inclusive process—not one manipulated behind closed doors.”

The activist emphasised that internal democracy is not only critical for party unity, but also for Ghana’s broader democratic development.

He stressed that empowering members to elect leaders through open, participatory elections would restore trust and reinvigorate the party’s base.

Yeboah urged the NPP to draw lessons from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), which recently held internal elections that, according to him, promoted internal cohesion and transparency.

“The NDC has shown that when the grassroots are trusted with decision-making, the party emerges stronger and more united,” he noted.

“The NPP must do the same.”

He further called on party members to rely on independent judgment, engaging in consultations with peers, opponents, and community members, rather than being swayed by top-down directives or campaign handouts.

In a direct appeal to the NPP leadership, Yeboah said, “The time has come to end backdoor tactics and affirm the party’s commitment to democratic ideals.

Transparent internal elections are not just a party issue—they’re a test of our collective commitment to accountable governance and national development.”