Kwabena Agyepong decries monetization in Ghana’s politics, vows to restore values

New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential hopeful, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, has expressed deep concern over what he describes as the dangerous monetization of Ghanaian politics.

He disclosed that monetization in politics has eroded the values of sacrifice and service that once defined the country’s political tradition.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday, Mr. Agyepong lamented the shift from value-driven leadership to money-driven politics, insisting that the trend must be reversed for Ghana to progress.

“The fact that the country has been gripped by materialism worries me, and the monetisation of our politics, especially our UP tradition, Adu Boahen’s tradition, Da Rocha’s tradition, R.R. Amposah’s tradition, and many others who put their lives, their houses, their everything,” he said.

According to him, past political icons like Adu Boahen, Stephen Krakue, and J.A. Addison represented a culture of vision, integrity, and sacrifice rather than wealth. “Otherwise, we would have said that Addison would have won in 1992 because he was a big businessman. But Adu Boahen, the university lecturer, won because people believed in his drive, his vision, what he wanted to do for our country. So it’s never been about money,” he explained.

Mr. Agyepong vowed that if elected President, he would work to restore the values of “service, sacrifice, and selflessness” in both the party and the wider society.

For him, rebuilding Ghana’s political credibility requires rejecting the current money-driven culture and returning to the founding spirit of volunteerism that once animated the NPP. “People are no longer prepared to work for the party with the kind of gusto we saw when we were young,” he added.

Meanwhile, tensions within the NPP have deepened ahead of the January 2026 presidential primaries. The internal contest has been marked by sharp divisions, with some aspirants accusing the party leadership of bias toward Dr. Bawumia and of monetizing the process.