The New Patriotic Party (NPP), once celebrated for its organizational strength and electoral prowess, now finds itself in a period of uncertainty. Following its recent defeat in the 2024 general elections, the party is grappling with internal wrangling, leadership tensions, and factional disputes that threaten to fracture its foundation even further.
In this critical moment, former Attorney General and seasoned party stalwart, Hon. Joe Ghartey, has stepped forward with a timely message—a call to pause, reflect, and rebuild. His words, though delivered with calm resolve, carry the weight of experience and the urgency of a party on the brink. Ghartey’s appeal was not just another political speech—it was a roadmap to healing.
Here are seven key takeaways from his powerful plea.
A divided house can’t win
Joe Ghartey opened his remarks with a sobering truth: no political party can hope to return to power when it is deeply divided. He stressed that individual popularity alone is not enough to secure victory in the next election cycle. According to him, unity is not a luxury—it is a necessity.
“No matter how well-liked a candidate is, victory in 2028 cannot be guaranteed unless the entire party machinery works together,” he stated.
Ghartey warned against putting personal ambitions above the collective mission of the party. In his view, now is not the time for ego trips or internal turf wars—it is time to rebuild the NPP from the inside out.
“This is not the time for personal battles. This is the time for rebuilding,” he said, urging members to rally around the core values of the party and work toward a common goal.
Stop the blame game
Blame, Joe Ghartey argued, has become the language of defeat in the NPP. Instead of holding constructive dialogues, many members have resorted to finger-pointing. To illustrate this, he quoted a well-known Ghanaian proverb: “When you point a finger at one person, the other four point at you.”
The former minister cautioned against this toxic trend of blaming individuals or groups for the party’s electoral loss. In his view, such actions only deepen divisions and delay the healing process. Ghartey emphasized the need for collective responsibility and introspection, rather than throwing accusations.
He called on party communicators, executives, grassroots supporters, and former officeholders to resist the urge to scapegoat others. “Progress can only begin when we all take a share of the responsibility,” he said.
Issues go beyond leadership
While it is common to blame party leaders in the wake of electoral losses, Ghartey insisted that the problems within the NPP go far beyond leadership failures. He acknowledged that, as the saying goes, “a fish rots from the head,” but argued that the rot in this case has spread throughout the body.
He stressed that focusing solely on the top-tier leadership blinds the party to deeper operational flaws and structural weaknesses that exist at every level—from national to polling station units.
According to him, the party’s challenges are systemic and require a comprehensive overhaul of how the NPP operates. He urged members to reexamine not just who leads, but how they lead and how others follow. For Ghartey, meaningful reform begins when everyone looks inward and contributes to solutions.
Operational disconnects are real
Joe Ghartey did not mince words when speaking about the disjointed operations within the party. He cited poor communication, broken channels of command, and a general lack of coordination as major reasons for the NPP’s current woes.
From regional offices down to grassroots operations, Ghartey observed that the party machinery is plagued by inefficiencies. These breakdowns, he noted, played a significant role in weakening the NPP’s campaign strategy and mobilization efforts in the last election.
He stressed that to mount a serious comeback in 2028, the party must streamline its internal systems, restore discipline, and build effective communication structures. Only through these improvements can the party regain its former strength.
Ceos once dodged his calls
In a revealing personal anecdote, Joe Ghartey shared a moment from his time as a Cabinet Minister, when Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of state institutions routinely ignored his phone calls.
This, he said, was not just a reflection of individual disrespect but a symptom of a larger problem—unchecked arrogance, a breakdown of intra-government communication, and a lack of accountability in public service.
His story serves as a warning: when key players in the political system stop engaging with each other, the system itself begins to collapse. Ghartey’s message was clear—the party must rebuild not only political trust but also institutional respect and responsiveness.
He emphasized that if those in leadership positions could ignore ministers, it speaks volumes about how ordinary party members might be treated. Such attitudes, he suggested, must be corrected if the party wishes to reconnect with its base and re-earn the public’s trust.
Abronye dc vs kennedy agyapong feud
In addressing party tensions, Joe Ghartey specifically referenced the recent feud between Bono Regional Chairman Abronye DC and former presidential aspirant Kennedy Agyapong. The public nature of their exchanges, he lamented, has only served to tarnish the NPP’s image.
He urged both men—and their respective supporters—to cease the hostilities and remember the bigger picture. “These feuds weaken the party and embolden our opponents,” he warned.
According to Ghartey, disagreements are inevitable in any political organization, but how those disagreements are handled determines whether the party grows stronger or tears itself apart. He called for maturity, patience, and mutual respect in settling disputes, whether public or private.
He further advised party elders and senior executives to intervene promptly when such tensions arise, rather than allowing them to escalate into damaging spectacles.
Reconciliation is the way forward
Ghartey concluded his address with a heartfelt appeal for reconciliation. He reminded party members that no one faction or individual can rebuild the NPP alone. Unity, he argued, is not a slogan—it is a strategy for survival.
“The time has come for us to pull together—not in bitterness, but in wisdom,” he said.
He called on all members, from flagbearer aspirants to constituency executives, to begin honest conversations about healing. According to him, the road to 2028 must begin with listening, forgiveness, and collective vision.
For Ghartey, reconciliation does not mean papering over disagreements, but rather acknowledging them and resolving them in the interest of progress. His message was clear: a united NPP is a formidable force, but a divided one is doomed to fail.
