Kalybos
Actor Richard Kweku Asante, widely known as Kalybos, has explained why he publicly supported the New Patriotic Party (NPP) during the 2024 general elections.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM, Kalybos stated that his decision to campaign for the NPP was driven by personal experience and not financial gain, as some critics have suggested.
At the heart of his support was the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy, a flagship initiative of the Akufo-Addo-led NPP government. According to the actor, the programme significantly reduced the financial burden he had long carried due to frequent requests from family and community members to help pay school fees.
“Back then, the amount of money I spent on school fees was unbelievable. There’s this public perception that once you appear on TV, you’re rich. So people kept coming with school fee issues—from family, from my mother’s side, from the community. It was endless,” Kalybos explained.
He revealed that before the introduction of Free SHS, he often found himself financially drained in September—the month many Ghanaian schools reopen—because he had to assist numerous people with tuition payments.
“Before Free SHS, I became broke after paying fees in September. But with the policy in place, I finally had breathing space,” he added.
While he acknowledged a “little bit of selfishness” in his support for the programme, Kalybos said it was more about relieving long-term financial stress than political allegiance.
“If I could help promote this policy and make sure it stays, it meant I could save money and finally pursue projects I had put on hold,” he said.
Kalybos also clarified that he has worked with both political sides in the past, but the tangible impact of the Free SHS policy on his personal life and others’ lives made this particular initiative worth endorsing.
“It wasn’t just talk; it made a real difference in people’s lives—and in mine too,” he concluded.
Kalybos’ comments come amid ongoing discussions around celebrity involvement in politics, with some sections of the public questioning the motives behind such endorsements.