Dr. Arthur Kennedy Critiques NPP Leadership, Cites Decline in Party Values and Alleged Corruption

Dr. Arthur Kennedy, a veteran member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has issued a pointed critique of the party’s leadership, particularly targeting key figures such as Energy Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (NAPO) and Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi).

In a sharply worded open letter, Dr. Kennedy outlined his dissatisfaction with the direction the party has taken, which he believes has contributed to its electoral defeat in the 2024 general elections.

“Ashanti, that used to be led by the likes of Donkor Fordjour, is now led by Wontumi! Prempeh College, that gave us Kufuor and Crabbe, now gives us Napo and Wontumi!” Dr. Kennedy lamented, juxtaposing the NPP’s current leadership with the legacy of past figures who were seen as pillars of the party. His statement reflects deep concern over the party’s apparent departure from the principles and values that once defined it.

The open letter follows the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 elections, a loss that has prompted internal reflection and finger-pointing within the party. Dr. Kennedy’s critique underscores a broader sense of disillusionment with the current leadership, accusing them of losing sight of the party’s founding ideals. He pointed to what he sees as a growing prioritization of personal wealth over public service.

“The party that was built by men who risked their liberty and spent their treasure to build it now has leaders who have not suffered and see it as a vehicle for amassing wealth,” Dr. Kennedy stated, highlighting the widening gap between the party’s original vision and the perceived motivations of its current leaders.

In a particularly striking part of his letter, Dr. Kennedy alluded to what he described as an “unholy alliance of the Kyebi Mafia and Galamsey Incorporated.” This phrase appears to reference a network of individuals within the party who are accused of engaging in or benefiting from illegal mining activities (galamsey), which has been a contentious issue in Ghanaian politics.

“We lent the party to an unholy alliance and got our comeuppance for doing nothing,” he remarked, suggesting that the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 elections was, in part, a direct consequence of the leadership’s failure to address the corruption and illegal practices allegedly associated with some of its members.

Dr. Kennedy’s letter has sparked intense debate both within the NPP and among political analysts, with some agreeing with his assessment of the party’s leadership and others pushing back on his claims. Nonetheless, the letter serves as a powerful call for the NPP to reassess its values and direction in the wake of the electoral defeat.

The sharp critique of figures like Dr. Prempeh and Chairman Wontumi, as well as the reference to internal corruption, marks a significant moment of reckoning for the party. Dr. Kennedy’s words serve as a reminder of the deep divisions that persist within the NPP, and the ongoing struggle for the party to reclaim its integrity and credibility in the eyes of the Ghanaian electorate.