NDC must guard against political suicide – GFL warns

Mr Abraham Koomson, Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), on Monday cautioned the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) against complacency and internal divisions, warning that any political miscalculation could amount to “political suicide” and create an opening for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to return to power.

Mr Koomson identified nine landmines that the NDC must avoid, which include potential neglect of grassroots and foot soldiers; arrogance and disconnect of appointees; failure to deliver manifesto promises; and corruption, nepotism and impunity.

The others are internal factionalism and power struggles, mishandling of Galamsey and natural resources, economic hardship and cost of living, weak communication and propaganda gap, and selective justice and political persecution perception.

He explained that these missteps, if not urgently addressed, could constitute political suicide for the NDC and inadvertently pave the way for an NPP comeback in Elections 2028.

He urged the NDC leadership to recognise, empower and reward the party's grassroots base, branch and constituency executives who campaigned tirelessly to bring the party to power.

He also cautioned against arrogance of power, disrespect towards citizens, and inaccessible leadership by ministers, CEOs and DCEs: "The NDC must work to carry the people along, as any act that alienates ordinary Ghanaians could erode public trust.”

Mr Koomson also urged the government not to delay or abandon key social and economic interventions on jobs, cost of living, education, health and infrastructure, an act which would give the opposition ammunition to brand the government as deceptive.

The government must not create any room to tolerate corruption and favourism in appointments and contracts, and inability or seemingly delays in punishing wrongdoing within its own ranks would destroy the NDC's moral authority and credibility as a reformist government.

He also described persistent infighting over succession, parliamentary primaries and control of party structures as divisive tactics that could destroy the party's front and weaken its electoral machine.

“Failure to decisively tackle illegal mining and protect water bodies, forests and livelihoods would disappoint communities and energise civil society against the government" is a potential political and electoral landmine which the NDC must avoid planting.

The labour leader also cautioned that "if workers continue to face stagnant wages, high prices of food, fuel and transport, and harsh working conditions, the labour front that currently supports the NDC could turn hostile.”

“Allowing the NPP's communication machinery to dominate the media space unchallenged, and failing to effectively communicate achievements, would allow false narratives to shape public perception.

“Any perception of vindictiveness rather than principled accountability in the fight against past corruption could be exploited to gain public sympathy for the opposition,” Mr Koomson stated.

Mr Koomson warned that history shows governments in Ghana lose power not only because the opposition is strong but also because the governing party commits unforced errors and the NDC leadership fails to listen, stay humble, and remain anchored to the welfare of workers and the masses.

He also called on Ghanaians to resolutely resist any attempt to bring the NPP back to governance, saying the nation might have to resort to fasting and prayers to prevent what he described as a retrogressive development.

According to the veteran unionist, the NPP had consistently demonstrated a lack of concern for the welfare of ordinary Ghanaians and workers and should not be given another opportunity to govern the country.

“Ghanaians will suffer if the NPP returns to government. We must not make that mistake again. The previous NPP administration’s controversial proposal to sell hotels owned by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) as a clear example of its poor stewardship of state assets,” he stated.

Mr Koomson recalled that Organised Labour mounted strong resistance against the proposed sale, a struggle he said was necessary to protect public assets, pensioners’ investments, and the collective interest of Ghanaian workers.

He accused the NPP of prioritising wealth accumulation by a few while ordinary citizens bore the brunt of harsh economic policies and poor governance.

Touching on the current political landscape, Mr Koomson urged the NDC to remain focused on delivering its mandate, strengthening its grassroots structures, and effectively countering opposition propaganda and attempts to obstruct government business.

He stressed that the NDC must watch its conduct in government, maintain unity, discipline, and accountability, and avoid arrogance, neglect of the base, and internal wrangling that could alienate voters and hand political advantage to the NPP.

“History shows that Ghanaian workers have faced significant challenges under NPP governments. As a labour leader, I will continue to prioritise the political option that best serves the welfare of workers and ordinary Ghanaians,” he emphasised.

Mr Koomson therefore appealed to Ghanaians, particularly workers, youth, and the informal sector, not to be swayed by what he described as misinformation, but to defend the national interest by keeping the NPP from returning to power in the near future.