New Juaben South Member of Parliament Michael Okyere Baafi has attributed the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2024 general election defeat not to policy failure but to the unpredictable voting patterns of younger Ghanaians who, he says, prioritise employment above all else.
Speaking on Angel FM in Kumasi, the legislator and former Deputy Trade and Industry Minister reflected on how swiftly political fortunes can reverse, even for a party that believed its policy record had secured its position.
He recalled the confidence that swept through NPP circles after its 2016 return to power, when flagship initiatives led some party loyalists to predict the National Democratic Congress (NDC) could remain in opposition for three or four decades. That optimism proved short-lived.
“In just four years, we nearly lost the election, and in 2024 we finally lost. The electorate are full of surprises,” he said.
Baafi pointed specifically to Generation Z and Generation Alpha voters as the decisive force that shifted the electoral tide, arguing their expectations are unlike those of older voter blocs and that no political party can take them for granted.
“These Gen Alpha and Gen Z voters are unpredictable, and their voting patterns are unprecedented. What they are looking for is jobs,” he said.
The MP used the reflection to take aim at Ashanti Regional Minister Frank Amoakohene, alleging the minister has focused on cosmetic improvements rather than employment creation in one of the NPP’s traditional strongholds. He claimed a regional minister elsewhere had helped facilitate employment for approximately 120 people within 16 months, contrasting that with what he alleged was a lack of urgency in the Ashanti Region.
“In the Ashanti Region, our minister is busy painting interchanges and behaving like Nebuchadnezzar, as if he is simply enjoying himself,” Baafi alleged.
The claims against Amoakohene are unverified and the minister has not publicly responded to them.
Baafi maintained that job creation is the only reliable currency in modern Ghanaian politics. “A minister should impact the lives of the people by creating jobs. That is the only way people will appreciate your leadership,” he said.
On his own political future, Baafi expressed confidence that his New Juaben South constituency seat remains secure should he choose to contest in 2028, citing his development record. He has previously indicated he may not seek re-election, citing concerns about the growing monetisation of Ghanaian politics.
