The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) defeat in the 2024 general election can be attributed to its failure to effectively communicate the challenges it faced during its tenure to the Ghanaian people, according to Vincent Ekow Assafuah, Member of Parliament for Old Tafo.
Speaking on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News, Mr. Assafuah acknowledged that governance challenges significantly impacted the party’s popularity. Despite this, he praised President Akufo-Addo as “one of the best presidents we’ve ever had since independence.”
However, Mr. Assafuah noted that some decisions made by the President and his appointees did not resonate well with the public.
“We had issues with governance… Of course, there are actions and inactions of people, especially appointees, that did not go down well on the people of Ghana,” he stated.
Mr. Assafuah also pointed out that the NPP failed to communicate the challenges faced by the nation, making it difficult for the people to understand the rationale behind certain decisions.
He cited President John Mahama’s campaign promises, including canceling taxes like the E-Levy and Betting Tax within 120 days of assuming office, as examples of the complexity of governance.
“John Mahama said that within the first 120 days, he is going to cancel the E-Levy, Betting Tax, etc. … He is now trying to rationalise the minds of the Ghanaian people, but it may not be easy to implement such promises,” Mr. Assafuah explained, adding that the NPP’s failure to communicate effectively contributed to its defeat.