….Promises restoration, renewal, resetting (R3 campaign)
The Board Chairman of the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority (GIPA) and former Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Akwasi Opong-Fosu, has officially declared his intention to contest the National Chairmanship of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He outlined his vision for the party by identifying restoration, renewal, and resetting as the central pillars of his proposed agenda.
Dr. Opong-Fosu made the declaration yesterday, Thursday, September 17, 2026, at the official launch of his campaign for chairmanship in Accra.
He is the first aspirant to publicly announce his interest in the position, although sources within the NDC told The Herald that former National Chairman Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Ghana’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and former National Vice-Chairman Alhaji Said Sinare, former Youth and Sports Minister Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, and Presidential Adviser on the 24-Hour Economy Augustus “Goosie” Obuadum Tanoh are also interested in the position.
The NDC is scheduled to hold its National Congress on December 19, 2026, at which new national officers will be elected, at a venue yet to be announced.
Under the restoration pillar, Dr Opong-Fosu said the NDC must return to its foundational values of probity, accountability and social justice, stressing that those principles must not remain mere political slogans.
“Probity, accountability and social justice must not become ceremonial words. They must guide how we organize, lead, and recognize service and treat one another,” he said.
He said fairness and justice must first be demonstrated within the NDC itself, particularly in the treatment of members and the functioning of the party’s structures.
According to him, the party must ensure that its members are carried along as it progresses, rather than allowing sections of the membership to feel excluded.
Dr Opong-Fosu also called for a shift from personality-driven politics towards stronger institutional structures capable of sustaining the party beyond individual leaders.
He said the NDC must strengthen its internal cohesion, reconnect with its grassroots and prepare strategically for 2028 and beyond.
The aspirant further cautioned against constantly comparing the NDC with the New Patriotic Party (NPP), arguing that such comparisons would not help the party to develop.
“The equalization and comparing ourselves between us, the NDC, and the NPP should stop. They are on zero grounds, and if we continue comparing, we will never move,” he said.
Dr Opong-Fosu said his three-point agenda was aimed at strengthening the NDC’s internal structures, rebuilding confidence among members, improving communication and reconnecting the party’s leadership with its grassroots.
On renewal, he proposed stronger political education and greater investment in research, technology, communication, and data.
He also called for deliberate efforts to prepare young people and women for leadership.
Under resetting, he called for strengthening weak party structures, improving internal communication, improving recognition and reward systems, and repairing strained relationships within the party.
His declaration sets the stage for a contest for the NDC National Chairmanship ahead of the party’s National Congress.
The Chief of Kpone-Katamanso, Tatse Nii Laryea Akuetteh X, known in private life as Joseph Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, who chaired the launch, urged party members not to be motivated by money but by their commitment to the NDC and the country.
“We do not do things because of money. We do them because of the love we have for our country and our party, the NDC, and because of the training and values we have received from the leadership of the party,” he said.
He warned that divisions within constituencies could undermine the party’s ability to present a united front during general elections and protect its ballots.
“What we need is someone who will bring everyone together. The task is to unite our party members,” he said.
He urged supporters to choose their leaders based on their ability to steer the party’s affairs, rather than on money or tribal considerations.
Tatse Nii Laryea Akuetteh X also cautioned that decisions taken by the party today could have consequences for present and future generations.
The former MP for Tamale Central, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, also endorsed Dr Opong-Fosu’s capacity for the position, saying the National Chairmanship required confidence, emotional intelligence, credibility and integrity.
He said the position should not be entrusted to a transactional politician but to someone capable of communicating with honesty, conviction, and sincerity.
“I have no doubt that Dr Akwesi Opong-Fosu is ready for the task and will perform it effectively,” he said.
Alhaji Fuseini said Dr Opong-Fosu possessed the leadership qualities, experience and commitment required for the position, citing his long association with the NDC and his political roots dating back to the PNDC era.
