By Eugene Nyarko Jnr.
Alisa Hotel, Accra—
An aspiring Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ing. Filson Awankua, has expressed confidence that the party will return to power in 2029, citing renewed enthusiasm among grassroots members and growing public dissatisfaction with the current administration.
Speaking during a media interaction on the sidelines of the NPP General Council Meeting held at the Alisa Hotel in Accra on Thursday, Ing. Awankua said the NPP remained the most attractive political party in the country, as demonstrated by the massive turnout recorded during the party’s recent grassroots elections.
According to him, the participation of professionals, including teachers, engineers, lawyers and lecturers, in the polling station elections was a clear indication of the party’s strength and appeal.
“The most important nucleus of the party is the polling station. The expansion of grassroots structures has broadened participation and strengthened the base of the party,” he stated.
The regional chairman aspirant, who said he had served the NPP for more than three decades beginning from the era of Prof. Albert Adu Boahen, noted that the party had weathered internal challenges in the past and still emerged victorious.
He cited the formation of breakaway political groups during previous election years, including during the administration of former President John Agyekum Kufuor, stressing that such developments did not weaken the party’s grassroots support.
Touching on the political dynamics in the Upper East Region, Ing. Awankua rejected assertions that the region was an NDC stronghold.
He argued that the region had historically been dominated by the People’s National Convention (PNC), and that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) only gained electoral advantage following the decline of the PNC.
“The Upper East Region cannot be described as an NDC stronghold when the NPP has, in recent years, secured close to 40 per cent of the popular vote,” he said.
He observed that out of the region’s 15 constituencies, there were only a few where the NPP had never won, insisting that effective planning and strategic mobilisation could significantly improve the party’s electoral fortunes.
Ing. Awankua attributed the NPP’s decline in the 2024 elections partly to communication challenges and the economic hardships experienced after the COVID-19 pandemic.
He, however, maintained that the record of the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration remained superior to that of the current government.
He criticised the present administration over rising utility tariffs, unemployment and what he described as unfulfilled campaign promises, particularly in the health and education sectors.
The NPP stalwart further questioned the sustainability of the recent appreciation of the cedi, describing it as artificial and warning that without prudent economic management, the gains could not be sustained.
He also called for the continuation and completion of major projects initiated by previous administrations, including the Agenda 111 hospital programme, arguing that such projects should transcend partisan politics.
Ing. Awankua urged party members to remain united, intensify grassroots mobilisation and strategically position the NPP for victory in the 2028 general elections.
“I have travelled across the country and the enthusiasm among party supporters is clear. The NPP is ready to form government again in January 2029,” he declared.
