What Ghana needs now is assertiveness and boldness, Kennedy, to confront what is wrong – Kwaku Kwarteng
What Ghana needs now is assertiveness—the boldness to confront what is wrong without fear. I appeal to party delegates and to Ghanaians listening: let us give this man a chance. At the very least, Ghana would have tried something different. The polite, well-mannered, highly polished leaders we have trusted in the past have not delivered the results we need. It is time to change course.
Many supporters have acknowledged that the ongoing NPP primaries should not generate excessive tension, given the clear margins already emerging. Others have praised the tone of the campaign—firm, persuasive, and free of insults—even from those who support other candidates like Mahamudu Bawumia. That maturity itself shows that the debate we are having is healthy.
The key issue is not whether one individual can personally create jobs or fix every problem. Leadership is about creating the space for capable people to do the right thing without fear. A minister should not worry that rejecting a bad procurement deal will lead to punishment. A civil servant should not fear retaliation for enforcing the law. That freedom is what accelerates development.
Ghana has brilliant minds. Many people want to do the right thing but are trapped in a system where wrongdoing feels normal because “everyone is doing it.” I witnessed this firsthand while serving in government, when revenue officers openly admitted malpractice—not out of pride, but resignation. Yet they also said they would gladly support reform if they trusted political leaders to act honestly and consistently.
Once people believe that integrity will be rewarded and wrongdoing punished, Ghanaians themselves will rebuild this country. What has been missing is political leadership—leadership marked by honesty, courage, and urgency. Instead, we have had dishonesty mixed with timidity and a mindset of “Let me take what I can and leave the system broken.”
That is why I believe Kennedy Agyapong is a disruptor. Ghana needs that disruption to reset its political culture. I want to see a new culture of governance emerge in my lifetime.
Yes, I have been part of the system for many years, and I do not deny it. But there is nothing wrong with recognizing that a path is failing and deciding to change direction. Kennedy has expressed a clear desire to do that, and he deserves the support of those who believe Ghana can do better.
As for why I supported Dr. Bawumia in the previous primaries, it was a matter of timing and principle. Kennedy entered that race late, and many of us had already committed in good faith. Loyalty matters in politics. The NPP also sent an important message in 2023—that leadership is about competence, not religion or ethnicity—and that was a positive moment for the party.
But times change. The challenges Ghana faces today are deeper and more urgent. What is required now is not refinement, but intervention—the courage to confront entrenched interests and defeat them. Given the state of the country, I am convinced that Kennedy Agyapong has the temperament, urgency, and fearlessness required for this moment.
The wrongs in our politics persist because they benefit powerful interests. To defeat them, you need a leader willing to confront them head-on. That is why I believe Ghana must take this chance—because continuing on the same path will only take us further into the ditch.
By Nana Boateng
