Ghana’s Democracy at a Crossroads: The NPP’s Sudden Awakening and a People’s Unanswered Questions.
By Khalid Azure Yakubu – Tutor, Writer, Researcher, Political Analyst, Digital Marketer.
Ghana’s progress as a beacon of democracy on the African continent has been proudly vaunted as a model that should count for something elsewhere. Not only have we held peaceful elections since restored constitutional rule in 1992, but our nation has also been the diplomatic and ideological bridgehead for Africa’s renaissance—anchored in the pan-African vision of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, Nelson Mandela, Thomas Sankara, Muammar Gaddafi—and today, in the steadfast revolutionary voice of Captain Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso!
What unites all those leaders is one idea: Africa should be free, and free not only from colonialism but also from the talons of neocolonialism”
As Nkrumah rightly said,
In his book “Neo-colonialism, the last stage of imperialism”.
Nkrumah argues that neocolonialism is a form of imperialism where foreign powers exert control over African countries through economic means, such as aid, trade, and investment, rather than direct military occupation.
He contends that this system perpetuates inequality and undermines the sovereignty of newly independent nations.
Nkrumah’s work had significant implications for Ghana’s international relations. After his government was overthrown in 1966, Ghana realigned itself with Western powers and invited international financial institutions like the IMF and World Bank to manage its economy. This shift led to a loss of prestige among African nationalists and marked a turning point in Ghana’s history.
Ghana’s democracy finds itself caught in a web of contradictions—led not by a unified national will, but by partisan deception, constitutional manipulations, and institutional compromises.
A PEOPLE AT THEIR WITS END, GHANA DEMOCRACY AT THE CROSSROADS; THE NPP SUDDEN AWAKENING AND THE PEOPLE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS.
A Diminishing Democracy Under Akufo-Addo’s Watch;
The last eight years under President Nana Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have sadly shown that democratic rituals—such as elections and parliamentary processes—can still coexist with autocratic tendencies.
The Electoral Commission;
Once seen as an independent referee, has become a tool of political favoritism. Its controversial actions, including its posture during the 2020 elections, defied the letter and spirit of the 1992 Constitution. Many Ghanaians have lost trust in the Commission, with some observers branding it as a political extension of the ruling party rather than a neutral umpire.
Constitutional issues have also been treated with contempt, especially regarding appointments, referenda, and the autonomy of oversight bodies. What should be national decisions have been reduced to backroom deals and party-loyalist rewards.
Meanwhile, the environment has been desecrated. Illegal mining (galamsey) has flourished under his administration—not because of an absence of laws, but because of state capture. The NPP government dished out thousands of licenses to their cronies under the guise of “formalization,” thereby legalizing the destruction of rivers, forest reserves, and ancestral lands.
The Hypocrisy of Sudden Righteousness ;
Where was the NPP when innocent citizens were gunned down at polling stations?
Where was their outrage when the Special Prosecutor was undermined and civil society was attacked for speaking truth to power?
Now that the tables are turning, and Ghanaians have grown weary of broken promises, the NPP seeks refuge in rhetorical justice. But the people are not blind.
Ghana’s democracy is not a cloak to be worn when convenient.
A Call for Revolutionary Integrity;
As a Tutor, writer and researcher who draws inspiration from the timeless principles of Nkrumaism and the progressive vision of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), I believe we must return to the original intent of our democracy: liberation, accountability, and national development.
The NDC’s commitment to social justice, equity, and African self-determination must be reawakened—not just as campaign slogans but as everyday governance principles. Ghana needs bold leaders who will not compromise state institutions, who will protect our natural resources, and who will honor the Constitution even when it’s inconvenient.
The hypocrisy must end.
The betrayal of the people’s trust must cease.
And the call for revolutionary integrity must begin.
Final Words;
History will remember this moment. Not just as another election year, but as a turning point when Ghanaians decided whether democracy would be reduced to rituals and rhetoric—or reclaimed as a sacred path toward national dignity.
Let us be guided not by the changing colors of politics, but by the unwavering flame of truth.
“Who am I?”
I am Khalid Azure Yakubu. I do not whisper in the crowd—I speak for the people.
Thanks for following.