Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has charged the party’s Minority Members of Parliament to aggressively defend the achievements and legacy projects of the NPP, warning that the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) must not be allowed to take credit for programmes initiated under previous NPP administrations.
Addressing the Minority Caucus in Parliament during a strategic engagement on May 20, 2026, Dr. Bawumia said the NPP must now reposition itself as a credible “government-in-waiting” ahead of the 2028 general elections, while ensuring that Ghanaians are constantly reminded of the party’s contributions to national development.
The former Vice President emphasised that the Minority Caucus has a crucial responsibility not only to scrutinise the governing administration but also to protect the political history and policy legacy of the NPP from what he described as attempts by the NDC to appropriate projects and interventions introduced by the opposition party while in government.
According to Dr. Bawumia, many of the social intervention policies currently benefiting Ghanaians were introduced under NPP governments and should remain permanently associated with the party’s governance record.
“We need to remind Ghanaians that we are the party that introduced the National Health Insurance Scheme, the School Feeding Programme, the Free Senior High School policy, the Youth Employment Programme, among others,” he told the MPs.
The meeting formed part of broader efforts by Dr. Bawumia to reorganize and energize the NPP following his victory in the party’s January 31, 2026 presidential primaries, where he secured 56.48 percent of valid votes cast to become the party’s flagbearer for the 2028 elections.
Since emerging victorious, Dr. Bawumia has intensified engagements with party stakeholders including Minority MPs, former ministers, party executives, grassroots structures, students, diplomats, and religious bodies as part of attempts to rebuild the party and restore public confidence after the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 general elections.
At the parliamentary meeting, Dr. Bawumia stressed that the NPP had moved beyond internal healing and reflection and must now focus fully on preparations to return to power.
He urged the MPs to conduct themselves as representatives of a future governing administration and ensure that every parliamentary action, public statement, and policy position strengthens public trust in the NPP.
The former Vice President further directed the caucus to intensify scrutiny of the Mahama-led administration, insisting that Parliament’s Minority side remains the country’s first line of accountability.
According to him, the NDC made several promises to Ghanaians while in opposition but has struggled to meet public expectations after returning to office.
Dr. Bawumia accused the governing administration of relying heavily on propaganda and campaign rhetoric during the 2024 elections and challenged the Minority MPs to constantly remind Ghanaians about those promises.
“You are the first line of accountability, the first line of policy scrutiny, and the first line of reassurance to citizens who are beginning to ask whether the promises made to them were carefully thought through or merely crafted for campaign applause,” he stated.
The NPP flagbearer also announced plans to establish stronger coordination structures within the party to support the parliamentary caucus and ensure consistency in policy messaging and communication.
According to him, the party is building a new “architecture” involving sector-based committees that will assist MPs with research, policy alternatives, and coordinated responses to national issues.
“The entire party is building a strong architecture to support you through the sector committees, so we can sing from the same hymn sheet and act with a coordinated strategy at every point in time,” he explained.
Beyond policy and parliamentary strategy, Dr. Bawumia also addressed what he described as increasing political intimidation and harassment of opposition members under the current administration.
He accused the NDC government of using state institutions to target NPP officials and supporters, citing recent arrests and investigations involving party activists and regional executives.
Dr. Bawumia described the situation as “state-sponsored persecution” and urged party members to remain resolute and united despite the political pressure.
“We fought hard for this democracy and we cannot surrender it to intimidation from those who possess temporary power today,” he said.
The Minority Caucus has in recent months intensified criticism of the government over issues including power outages, economic hardship, rising utility tariffs, cocoa pricing, and alleged abuse of state institutions.
The former Vice President concluded by urging the MPs to remain disciplined, united, and focused on the long-term goal of restoring the NPP to power in 2028, insisting that the rebuilding process begins now through effective parliamentary leadership and sustained engagement with the Ghanaian people.
