The attack on Bryan Acheampong by the Ashanti youth organizers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), on October 28, 2025, rather exposed them of their wrong acts that led to the NPP’s downfall on December 7, 2024.
The family feud going on in the NPP is rather amazing. First there was and still is a bitter rivalry between the Bawumia’s camp and the Kennedy Agyapong’s camp. And the party’s national executives are standing by watching as the unity needed in the party is been shattered. Kennedy Agyapong is seen as a threat and so must be destroyed as was the clarion call from characters like Abronye and Wontumi, suggest.
Such recklessness should have been sanctioned by the party’s elders and national executives but rather, it isallowed to fester on. Then Bryan Acheampong, who many at first thought was an also-run in the race, suddenly stood out first looking as if he was going to be the dark horse.
He has become a threat to the members of the pro-Bawumia camp. You see, their deeds are averse to the true Bawumia character which is rather a shame. In all these, the Ashanti regional youth organisers wanted to be noticed, so they decided to condemn Bryan Acheampong.
In a press conference they made a number of attacks on Bryan. I will only address three of them.
First, the youth organizers are condemning Bryan’s request to buy shares in the failing SSNIT hotels, so that he could turn things around and make SSNIT and the state to start earning good profits.
This noble idea was shot down by the NDC and unfortunately, instead of the NPP standing and quoting from authority, that Bryan would do nothing wrong in acquiring shares in the hotels,the party national executives and MPs sat and watched as this fine businessman was accused of attempting corruption.
If Bryan was about to commit crime against the state for only requesting to buy shares, then what about the Rawlings’ regimes of the PNDC and NDC when state assets were sold off cheaply to family and friends?
What happened to GIHOC’s industries, particularly Nsawam Cannery, Tema Boatyard? What happened to GNTC? What happened to Black Star Line? The list is endless?
The same socialists and Nkrumaists who are always saying Nkrumah put up industries and businesses during his time, and should be protected for the state, sold off these assets to themselves, friends and relatives at a loss to the state.
And if today, a patriotic citizen feels he can help the state by partnering with it to make a dying business become profitable, NPP members, like the Ashanti regional youth organizers are saying it is wrong.
The question that I will keep asking over and over again is, what crime had Bryan committed in applying to buy shares in an underperforming state asset which is costing the SSNIT contributor and the state lots of money?
And for the umpteen time Bryan only wanted to part-own the hotels for the state to start making profit and for the pensioner to start earning good pension. Mind you, he was not going to completely take over the hotels, but operate it with the state in a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) agreement. And the NDC shouted foul and coward NPP members sheepishly succumbed to the NDC.
Are these youth organisers aware of state assets including well performing ones like Ashanti Goldfields and Social Security Bank that the NDC sold off to private companies and persons?
Before 1994, Ghana held majority shares of 55%, with significant control and influence in Ashanti Goldfield. Through its “golden share”, Ghana had the power to veto major board decisions and block takeovers deemed contrary to the national interest.
In April 1994, the NDC sold off 25%shares from our 55% hold in Ashanti Goldfields which then became AngloGold Ashanti.From the 30% shares in the new company, Ghana lost more shares and today we only have 10% free-carried interest in that mining company.
Per production of gold in in our Obuasi mines, Ghana ranks the top gold producer in Africa and yet we have no control over our gold, neither do we get good money.
And Social Security Bank was a highly performing commercial bank in Ghana, rubbing shoulders with Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB). It was established by SSNIT with workers’ contribution but in July 1995 the NDC sold off a total of 41% shares from the state and SSNIT, to the public. Today it is an insignificant bank called Societe Generale Ghana Plc. The investment of workers’ SSNIT contributions were all lost.
Now if a political party has this history of selling off well performing state assets, what moral rights has it got to say ‘No’ to someone who only wants to partner the state to run its asset from non-performing to well performing?
And by the way, is it a crime to acquire state assets? The current Interior Minister, Hon. Muntaka Mubarak Mohammed on January 24, 2025 stated that there is nothing wrong if a person acquires state land legitimately. He was emphatic that acquiring state assets through the proper, lawful procedure is permissible for both public officials and private citizens, as there is no law in Ghana that criminalizes it.
Ghanaians should not be surprise when the NDC members start taking over state assets. And may the NPP youth of Ashanti stand up and support this.
If these youth organizers think they are making this statement against Bryan to show full support for Bawumia, then they should know that this sycophancy will only make good thinking party members and Ghanaians wonder what Bawumia stands for.
The second point is the attack on Bryan for condemning MPs, MMDCEs for hoarding fertilizers. It looks like these youth organizers are feeling guilty for committing such and similar sins against the ordinary hard working grassroot party member.
During campaign seasons, the NPP would usually hand down logistics, gifts and goods to its managers and organizers on the ground to distribute to the grassroot officers and electorates for the enhancement of the party’s electoral chances.
Unfortunately, most times these items are diverted and sold. Those in charge become beneficiaries while the party loses. There is a story of how over three thousand bags of fertilizer were diverted not only from the constituency but also from the region and sold, elsewhere. The money was not given to those who were supposed to benefit from the fertilizer, but it rather entered into the pockets of the one who took delivery of them.
Now, the question is how will such people deliver responsibilities given to them when they become, government appointees? It is very obvious that it will be corruption galore and this is what these Ashanti regional youth organizers of the NPP, approve of and support. For how is it that when a decent fellow like Bryan is condemning corrupt acts, they are angry?
And thirdly, these youth organizers are saying it is double standard for Bryan to blame Bawumia for NPP’s loss. I have not specifically heard of Bryan solely blaming Bawumia for NPP’s loss in 2024. He rather blamed those in charge of affairs for the defeat. And what he always condemned was how money that should be given to the grassroot officers to work at the polling station areas, never got to them or if it did, it would be drastically reduced to peanuts.
There was this constituency which was given GH¢1.5 million for operations on Election Day and the 1st Vice Chairman was not aware of this. How shocking!
Most party officers from the regions and the constituencies made sure they reaped where they did not sow but rather filled their pockets, wallets and bank accounts with money that was supposed to do party work at where it was needed most, the polling station areas. And for these youth organizers to stand up and condemn Bryan, it is clear that they only feel threatened of been exposed.
Today, the NPP is deciding to do a Top-Bottom Approach, by first electing a flag bearer before other officers. This is what these corrupt and failed officers are very desirous about. So, they are all openly backing Bawumia, not because they prefer him, but because if he becomes the NPP’s flag bearer, they will be maintained at their positions and do what they know best; that is clean-out the party’s coffers to enrich themselves and NPP can go to the dogs for all they care.
Knowing that if the party’s constitution on internal elections was respected and adopted, through the Bottom-Top Approach, many party officers from the polling stations through to the national, would be thrown out of office. For how can they be retained after overseeing the party losing embarrassingly at the polling stations and constituencies? The question is how can polling executives be retained at stations where NPP recorded zero vote?
The NPP hasin Bryan Acheampong, someone who is determined to right all the wrongs and instil discipline, dedication and honesty in the NPP. But unfortunately, this is what the Ashanti youth organizers, speaking for most of the current party officers, do not want.
Hon. Daniel Dugan
