The Member of Parliament (MP) for Akyem Oda, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, has argued that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) may not need an elaborate campaign message ahead of the 2028 general elections if Ghanaians decide to assess the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) based on its promises and performance in office.
According to him, the NDC’s record in government, measured against the commitments it made while in opposition, could significantly influence voters’ decisions in the next general elections.
Speaking on UTV’s Adekye Nsoroma morning show on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Mr Acquah said the NPP could rely on the governing party’s own campaign promises and its performance in office to make its case to the electorate.
He was responding to concerns that the NPP’s presidential candidate for the 2028 elections, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, had yet to announce specific policy proposals for the campaign.
Mr Acquah maintained that Dr Bawumia is still consulting stakeholders across various sectors before unveiling his policies, adding that the NDC’s performance could become a central issue in determining the outcome of the next election.
“They normally say that our presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, hasn’t made any policy statement so far. But I am telling you that maybe Ghanaians might not need our campaign message. What we need to do is to look at what you people said in opposition and what you have done and are doing in government now, and Ghanaians will take a decision on you,” he said.
He added that Dr Bawumia would announce his policy proposals when the time is appropriate, following consultations and engagements with stakeholders in different sectors.
“Our presidential candidate is still doing consultation and engaging the stakeholders of all the sectors, and if the time is due, he will come out and make his policies known,” Mr Acquah stated.
He stressed that if voters chose to judge the NDC by its promises and the government’s record, the NPP might not require a separate campaign message to persuade the electorate.
The Akyem Oda MP also criticised the NDC government over what he described as growing impunity, arguing that certain public statements and government actions risk undermining respect for the law.
He cited comments attributed to the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, concerning the formalisation of artisanal and small-scale mining activities.
Mr Acquah was particularly critical of the position that unlicensed artisanal and small-scale miners operating outside prohibited areas could be allowed to mine temporarily while steps are taken to register them, bring them into a formal structure and regularise their operations.
He argued that such an approach could weaken efforts to enforce the laws governing small-scale mining and the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
“The impunity of the NDC government has turned Ghana into a crime state. That is why a CEO can say that a law enacted by Parliament to help check and fight galamsey should be thrown out and people don’t need a licence anymore to do mining. That is the impunity of this government,” he said.
His comments reflect the opposition’s concerns about the government’s approach to regulating artisanal and small-scale mining, particularly the balance between enforcing existing laws and formalising mining activities.
Mr Acquah further challenged the government to account for the current state of illegal mining, questioning whether the situation has improved despite the NDC’s previous criticisms of the former NPP administration.
He argued that the NDC had strongly criticised the previous government over galamsey while in opposition but is now facing worse and severe concerns over the activities of illegal miners.
The MP also claimed that some areas that had not previously experienced significant illegal mining activities are now facing worsening situations.
“Apart from him claiming that the video circulating is doctored, what is the current state of galamsey now?” he asked the programme’s host.
He maintained that the government’s performance on illegal mining should be assessed against the criticisms and commitments it made before assuming office.
His remarks add to the continuing political debate over the effectiveness of measures to combat illegal mining, protect water bodies and safeguard the environment.
Illegal mining remains a major public concern in Ghana because of its environmental consequences, including the pollution of rivers and other water bodies, land degradation and the destruction of forest resources.
The challenge for successive governments has been to enforce mining regulations while addressing the economic pressures that sustain illegal mining activities in some communities.
Beyond the issues of galamsey and electoral campaigning, Mr Acquah warned that the use of parliamentary majorities and political power without sufficient regard for public concerns could undermine confidence in Ghana’s democratic system.
He argued that electoral victories should not be interpreted as permission for a government to act without accountability.
According to him, the credibility of democratic governance depends partly on whether elected officials respect the law and remain responsive to the people who entrusted them with power.
“You see, we are practising democracy. The confidence in politics, the confidence in democracy depends on some of these things. If we say that the people have voted for us, we have the majority and we have all the powers and we will do what pleases us, then it gets to a time when the confidence in democracy will be eroded or go down,” he said.
He suggested that governments must be mindful of the consequences of their decisions and conduct, particularly when their actions appear inconsistent with the commitments made to voters during election campaigns.
His argument was that public confidence in democratic institutions could suffer when citizens perceive a gap between political promises and actual governance.
Mr Acquah’s comments come as political parties begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2028 general elections, with the NPP expected to challenge the NDC’s record in government while presenting its own policy alternatives.
Although Dr Bawumia has yet to unveil the full details of his 2028 campaign platform, Mr Acquah maintained that the NPP could make the governing party’s performance a central part of its electoral strategy.
For the opposition MP, the next election could be shaped not only by the policies presented by the competing parties but also by voters’ assessment of whether the NDC has fulfilled the promises it made before winning power.
He expressed confidence that Ghanaians would make their own assessment of the government’s record when they go to the polls in 2028.
By 1960news.com
