Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
The flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has declared that the party has moved beyond its post-election healing phase and is now repositioning itself to return to power in 2029.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of a two-day workshop organised for the Minority Caucus in Parliament in Accra, Dr. Bawumia said the NPP’s focus had shifted from introspection to preparation for governance, urging Members of Parliament (MPs) on the Minority side to project competence, unity and readiness to govern.
“We are no longer healing, we are preparing to govern. We have finished the period of introspection. We must now position ourselves credibly as a party preparing to govern from January 7, 2029,” he stated.
The former Vice President described the current political period as a critical moment in the nation’s democratic history and stressed that the decisions and actions of the Minority Caucus would determine whether Ghanaians regained confidence in the NPP ahead of the 2028 general election.
According to him, the Minority Caucus had become the “last line of defence” for many Ghanaians dissatisfied with the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration.
“When all has been said and done, you have been the last line of defence and glimmer of hope for the Ghanaian people,” he told the caucus, and added, “You have stood and defended our nation and party to everyone’s admiration, earning the accolade Mighty Minority.”
Dr. Bawumia urged the Minority MPs not to see themselves as mere opposition lawmakers but rather as representatives of the hopes and expectations of millions of Ghanaians who still believe in the NPP.
“You are not spectators. 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 and deception,” he stressed.
He said every statement, parliamentary debate, policy proposal and media engagement by NPP legislators must be carefully calculated to answer one key question from the electorate: “Can I trust the NPP to run the country again?”
Dr. Bawumia indicated that the NPP leadership was building a strong support system to aid the work of the Minority Caucus through sector committees and coordinated policy structures aimed at ensuring consistency in messaging and strategy.
He also pledged to play an active role in supporting the caucus, insisting that his involvement would not be “occasional or ceremonial.”
“I will be available to engage, to listen, to assist with policy direction, to support messaging and to stand with you when the work becomes difficult,” he assured the MPs.
The NPP flagbearer further charged the caucus to consistently remind Ghanaians of the party’s legacy in governance, including the introduction of major social intervention programmes such as the National Health Insurance Scheme, the School Feeding Programme, Free Senior High School and the Youth Employment Programme.
“We must always project this posture that we are a party preparing to govern,” he said, adding that the NPP remained the political tradition best positioned to place Ghana on “a glorious path” of development and economic growth.
Dr. Bawumia’s remarks formed part of broader efforts by the NPP leadership to rally the party’s parliamentary front as it prepares to reposition itself as a credible alternative government ahead of the next general election cycle.
By Ernest Kofi Adu