The New Patriotic Party (NPP) says its newly constituted sector and standing committees are rooted in constitutional requirements rather than political calculation, even as some party members raise concerns about exclusion and limited youth representation in the new structures.
Deputy General Secretary Haruna Mohammed said Monday that the committees stem directly from amendments adopted at the party’s National Delegates Conference in July 2025. According to him, the reforms introduced several new structures, including committees on constitutional and legal affairs, research, communications, elections, security and intelligence, and political strategy.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show, Mohammed was direct about the basis for the rollout. “These are not personal decisions,” he said. “They are constitutional decisions taken by the party.”
The New Patriotic Party also confirmed the committees will serve as the central policy and strategy engine for the party’s 2028 presidential campaign under flagbearer Mahamudu Bawumia. The framework is designed to generate evidence-based policy alternatives across key sectors of the economy and governance, positioning the party as a credible government in waiting rather than a purely reactive opposition force.
At the apex of the new structure sits the NPP Policy Committee, chaired by former Works and Housing and Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah. All four presidential aspirants who contested the party’s January 2026 primary have been appointed as co-chairs of sector committees, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong heading Employment and Jobs, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong leading Housing and Urban Development, Bryan Acheampong chairing Defence and Interior, and Yaw Osei Adutwum heading Education.
The New Patriotic Party opted not to publish the full membership of the committees, releasing only key leadership positions — a move Mohammed described as deliberate, saying parties do not publicise all their personnel before a contest.
Mohammed acknowledged that the rollout has drawn criticism internally, particularly over alleged exclusion and thin youth representation, but insisted the selection process prioritised expertise and balance. He said a more detailed membership list may be released later in May and urged patience from party members who feel left out.
On the question of internal divisions, he rejected the framing outright, insisting the party has no factions, only competing interests. Civil society voices, including IMANI Africa President Franklin Cudjoe and a fellow at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), Dr John Osae-Kwapong, have praised the initiative as a positive step toward more issue-based politics in Ghana.
Committees are expected to submit reports every six months, with members assessed on outcomes rather than activity alone.
