Amnesty alone won’t fix NPP –  Arthur Kennedy

Political activist and physician Dr. Arthur Kobina Kennedy has criticised the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for offering amnesty to suspended members. He said genuine reconciliation requires public apologies instead.

Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show on Monday, August 18, and monitored closely by Today.com.gh, Dr. Kennedy acknowledged that the party’s move to grant amnesty was likely intended to heal divisions but argued that the approach misses the mark.

“I think the intent is good, but the execution was botched. The unity that is needed is indispensable to the success of political parties, as history has shown. But I think we owe a lot of people apologies, not just amnesties,” he said.

The activist singled out former National Chairman Paul Afoko and ex-General Secretary Kwabena Agyapong, asserting they were treated unfairly and deserve public recognition of that.

“We need to apologise to Ghanaians for running the party as if it were a private club that belongs to a few individuals. A party is a public institution and must be run in a way that attracts people,” Dr. Kennedy added.

He also linked the party’s internal discord to its loss in the 2024 elections, warning that rebuilding trust with both members and the broader electorate is crucial for the 2028 polls.

“In actual fact, the 2024 elections we lost partly because we were divided. Twenty percent of John Mahama’s votes came from old NPP members who never resigned publicly, so they don’t need amnesty. But those votes must be earned back in 2028,” he explained.

Dr. Kennedy described the amnesty as inconsistent with past practices, recalling the 2008 decision that allowed someone without a membership card to be the party’s running mate, while other loyal members were penalised for insufficient contributions.

“The same way you suspended and humiliated them, that is the same place you should go and make peace with them. The apologies are important—not only to Afoko and others, but to the people of Ghana, for policies such as spending $100 million on a hole while children still studied under trees and markets remained uncompleted,” he said.

The NPP announced the amnesty on August 16, aiming to restore harmony among members facing disciplinary action. Acting National Chairman Danquah Smith Buttey described the measure as a step toward strengthening party cohesion and preparing for future political contests.

The announcement comes after the NPP lost the 2024 general elections. President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) returned to office with about 56% of the vote, defeating Mahamudu Bawumia of the NPP, who polled roughly 41%.

In Parliament, the NDC captured 188 of 276 seats, giving it a clear majority, while the NPP secured 88 seats. The defeat ended eight years of NPP governance and has sparked internal calls for reflection, reconciliation, and reorganization.