Chairman of the NPP National Council of Elders, Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, has criticized the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for its persistent habit of disputing electoral processes and results, regardless of the circumstances.
In an interview on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, November 26, the experienced politician warned that this behavior could potentially undermine the progress of Ghana’s democracy.
According to him, the opposition party will express discontentment even if Jesus is made the chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC).
“I don’t like the opposition’s posture, and they keep saying that if they don’t win, then something has happened,” the former Foreign Minister lamented.
“Believe me, if you bring Jesus Christ from heaven to come and become the Electoral Commissioner, they will still complain.”
The former New Juaben MP voiced concerns over the NDC’s ongoing accusations against the Electoral Commission, arguing that these claims undermine public confidence in the democratic process.
“These complaints are not helping anybody, and these threats and what have you are not helping nobody,” he remarked.
He connected the NDC’s confrontational approach to wider issues within Ghana’s political institutions, such as dysfunctions in Parliament.
“This has permeated society to the extent that even at our legislative organisation, i.e., in Parliament, things are not working the way we expect them to work,” Mr Owusu-Agyeman noted.
“They owe it to us for Parliament to work—it’s for the people; it’s not their property. It’s not the property of the Speaker; it’s the property of the people of Ghana. They must listen to us and move on.”
Mr. Owusu-Agyeman, reflecting on his hopes for Ghana, voiced frustration over the country’s ongoing political challenges.
“Sometimes, in my quiet moments, I feel like crying,” he admitted.
“When I worked for the United Nations for 20 years, I left as chief, and at the expense of sounding immodest, I would have been the Director-General of the FAO. But I came back, hoping that what has been achieved elsewhere, we could do it here.”
Recognizing the military disruptions that hindered Ghana’s political progress, Owusu-Agyeman emphasized the need to build upon the advancements made thus far.
“We knew we would be able to make this country a great country and move forward, and Africa and the world would respect Ghana,” he said.