Assembly Member for the Ahenbronom Electoral Area in the Birim Central Municipal Assembly, Ebenezer Cecil Asamoah, has called on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to demonstrate greater consistency, empathy and humanity in its pursuit of internal unity.
Mr Asamoah, an active youth organiser of the NPP in Akyem Oda, said party unity should not be limited to meetings, political programmes and social gatherings but must also be reflected in how the party supports its members during difficult moments, particularly during bereavement.
In a statement titled “Unity Must Begin With Humanity,” Mr Asamoah said he had taken time to reflect before commenting on what he described as an issue that deserved careful consideration.
His remarks followed the death of Maxwell Kofi Anti, who served as personal aide to the Member of Parliament for Akyem Oda, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, and also provided IT support to the NPP in the constituency.
Kofi Anti died on Saturday, May 16, 2026, after the vehicle in which he was travelling was involved in a serious accident along the Oda–Oda Nkwanta road.
Reports indicated that he was travelling with two other NPP members to deliver a letter seeking an injunction to halt polling station executive elections at Oda Nkwanta amid disagreements over the electoral process.
The vehicle reportedly crashed while the group was undertaking the assignment, leaving Kofi Anti critically injured. He was rushed to a health facility for emergency treatment but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
The two other occupants survived but sustained injuries and received medical attention.
Kofi Anti was laid to rest on Saturday, September 12, 2026, in Akyem Oda. The funeral attracted grassroots activists, friends, sympathisers and thousands of mourners.
However, national, regional and some constituency executives did not attend the funeral without providing reasons for their absence.
Reflecting on the development at the funeral, Mr Asamoah questioned whether the party’s understanding of unity sufficiently extended to moments of grief and loss.
“What does party unity really mean to us?” he asked.
He said if party programmes such as unity dinners and thanksgiving services are considered important enough for members to face disciplinary action or possible expulsion for non-attendance, then the funeral of a member who had served both the party and its parliamentary representative should equally have received strong solidarity from the party’s leadership.
Mr Asamoah stressed that his position is not intended to create division but to encourage a broader conversation about consistency in party leadership.
“I am not saying this to create division. I am saying it because leadership must be measured by consistency,” he stated.
According to him, the true test of unity is not only found in moments of political activity but also in how members respond when one of their own is going through hardship.
“Unity is not only about sitting together at a dinner table. Unity is also standing together when one of our own is grieving,” he said.
He added that party members should feel supported not only during elections and campaigns but also when they experience personal loss.
Mr Asamoah also cautioned against relying on disciplinary threats to secure participation in programmes described as unity initiatives.
“You cannot force genuine unity through fear,” he said, arguing that unity should instead be built on respect, empathy and practical demonstrations of solidarity.
“Unity must be built through respect. Unity must be demonstrated through action. Unity must begin with humanity,” he stated.
The Ahenbronom Assembly Member acknowledged that some party executives may have had legitimate reasons for not attending the funeral and said such circumstances should be understood.
However, he said the situation should prompt the party to examine its priorities where there are no compelling reasons for absence.
“If there were genuine reasons why some executives could not attend the funeral, those reasons should be understood. But where there are no such reasons, I believe we must honestly ask ourselves whether our priorities as leaders are in the right order,” he said.
Mr Asamoah clarified that his statement is not directed at any individual but is intended as a call for introspection and stronger leadership within the party.
“This is not an attack on any individual. It is a sincere call for reflection, consistency and better leadership within our party,” he said.
He urged party members to recognise that political disagreements should not prevent them from demonstrating compassion and solidarity towards one another.
“We can disagree politically and still stand together as human beings,” he said.
Mr Asamoah concluded by praying for the peaceful repose of Maxwell Kofi Anti and calling for a party culture in which unity is demonstrated not only through political activities but also through empathy and support during times of grief.
By 1960news.com
