Professor Ransford Gyampo Blames NPP’s 2024 Defeat on Corruption, Economic Mismanagement

Professor Ransford Gyampo of the University of Ghana has attributed the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) defeat in the 2024 elections to issues of corruption, economic mismanagement, arrogance, and nepotistic governance, rather than the alleged apathy from voters.

Gyampo dismissed suggestions that voter apathy was the key factor, calling it “propaganda” and emphasizing that many voters stayed home because they felt disillusioned and betrayed by the government. He argued that blaming the loss on low voter turnout without addressing the underlying reasons amounts to an avoidance of responsibility.

“People didn’t vote because they felt let down due to corruption, arrogance, economic mismanagement, and nepotistic governance. If they believe apathy was the cause, why then set up a committee to investigate why you lost?” Gyampo remarked during an appearance on TV3’s Key Points on Saturday, December 28. He suggested that the NPP should not waste resources trying to determine the reasons for their loss, as the causes are evident.

Gyampo’s remarks come in response to earlier statements by other political figures, including Professor Stephen Adei, former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). Professor Adei argued that apathy played a significant role in the NPP’s defeat, asserting that the NPP failed to address concerns raised even by its own members about the economic situation. He further noted that while John Dramani Mahama, the President-elect, secured only a modest increase in votes compared to 2020—just 200,000 more—many NPP supporters chose not to vote due to frustration with the government.

Adei highlighted that the defeat was largely a result of disillusionment within the NPP’s own ranks, with party members growing increasingly dissatisfied with the state of the economy. “It shows that when people are in power, they become blind and fail to see how their own members are angry with what has happened to the economy,” he stated.

In addition to the election analysis, Adei cautioned President-elect Mahama against removing key figures such as the Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Adukwei Mensa, or Chief Justice Gertrude Torkorno. He warned that such actions could have disastrous consequences for Ghana’s democratic institutions. “If they touch the Chief Justice by political removal and not because she has done something that warrants impeachment, we will pay a heavy price for it,” Adei cautioned, stressing the importance of maintaining institutional integrity.

Both Gyampo and Adei’s remarks point to the need for the incoming Mahama administration to address the systemic issues within governance and ensure that democratic institutions remain strong and independent.