Ghana’s political dynasties: NPP vs. NDC – Is it time for a third force?

Since the adoption of the 1992 Constitution, Ghana has held several national elections under a multi-party system. Despite this multi-party democratic structure, Ghana’s political landscape has been dominated by two main parties: the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC). While elections are often conducted with the participation of several political parties, it is usually the candidates of the NPP and NDC who are elected to steer the affairs of the country.

Under the Fourth Republic, the NPP and the NDC have shared power and made various contributions to socioeconomic development. Leaders from both parties have introduced their own development agendas —Jerry John Rawlings focused on economic stabilization, poverty reduction, and social welfare; John Agyekum Kufuor emphasized economic growth and good governance; and John Evans Atta Mills and John Dramani Mahama of the NDC pushed for economic recovery, social justice, and infrastructure development. More recently, Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration introduced the “Ghana Beyond Aid” agenda, aiming at industrialization and economic growth.

Despite these initiatives, leaders such as Rawlings, Kufuor, and Atta Mills faced criticism for not achieving the levels of development expected by Ghanaians. Mahama and Akufo-Addo, however, have borne the brunt of these criticisms. Mahama lost the 2016 elections, as widespread public perception held that corruption was rampant in his administration. His government was often accused of operating with a laissez-faire approach, with many labeling his administration as corrupt and inefficient. Dissatisfied Ghanaians sought a new leader and saw a potential savior in Akufo-Addo, believing that he would restore integrity and repair the damage they felt had been done by Mahama’s administration.

When Akufo-Addo assumed power, he introduced his ambitious “Ghana Beyond Aid” agenda, a strategy aimed at reducing Ghana’s dependency on foreign aid. Initially, this was met with widespread applause and optimism. Many believed that the Akufo-Addo administration would be the transformative government they had hoped for. However, the years leading to the 2020 elections were marred by discontent, as Ghanaians experienced a slew of challenges, including economic downturns, rampant corruption, human rights abuses, media suppression, skyrocketing inflation, rising poverty, and the collapse of several banks. During this period, many began to reflect on Mahama’s tenure, comparing it more favorably to that of Akufo Addo’s.

By the 2020 elections, despite many citizens expressing regret for electing Akufo-Addo, he was re-elected, a result that some sections of the population viewed with suspicion, believing that the election may have been rigged in his favor through the influence of the Electoral Commission chairperson, whom he had appointed. With his new administration, Ghana’s socioeconomic woes continued and even worsened, prompting some to apologize to Mahama for not recognizing his efforts earlier.

Tracing Ghana’s development trajectory under these two parties reveals that no significant progress has been made in addressing fundamental issues. Ghana is endowed with abundant natural resources and a vibrant human capital base, yet many citizens continue to languish in poverty. Healthcare and other critical infrastructure are lacking, and a growing number of Ghanaians are leaving the country in search of better opportunities abroad. Other nations with fewer resources have outperformed Ghana in key development indicators, highlighting the failures of the NPP and NDC administrations to implement effective, long-term development strategies. The NPP and NDC have been criticized for making only superficial contributions, which many consider as “Mickey Mouse” projects that do not meet the needs of a rapidly growing population.

While sustainable development aims to provide for both current and future generations, Ghana’s trajectory falls short, as even the present generation struggles to meet its basic needs, leaving future generations uncertain. This reflects how Ghana’s development has been reduced to a gamble under the NPP and NDC. Given the stagnation of development and ongoing challenges under the NPP and NDC, it may be time for Ghanaians to embrace a third political force that could bring new perspectives and break the political deadlock. Such a force could introduce policies focusing on long-term development and good governance that have eluded the nation under the current duopoly.

Several countries have successfully introduced third political forces that disrupted traditional two-party dominance and significantly contributed to development and economic progress. For example, the Green Party in Germany emerged in the 1980s, breaking the stronghold of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Social Democratic Party (SPD) by influencing policies on environmental sustainability, renewable energy, and social issues. In France, Emmanuel Macron’s La République En Marche (LREM), established in 2016, disrupted the conventional two-party system, pushing through labor market reforms and economic modernization, while redefining France’s role within the European Union. Similarly, in Zambia, the United Party for National Development (UPND), founded in 1998, challenged the dominance of the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) and the Patriotic Front (PF). Hakainde Hichilema’s 2021 victory over the incumbent marked a shift in governance, focusing on economic reforms, anti-corruption measures, and economic stabilization. His administration has since worked on restructuring debt, restoring investor confidence, and advancing social development programs.

Attempts to establish a third political force in Ghana have been made by parties such as the Convention People’s Party (CPP), the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), and the People’s National Convention (PNC). Despite their efforts, these parties have struggled to gain significant traction due to several factors, including limited funding, a lack of grassroots support, and the inability to present a unified front against the NPP-NDC duopoly. The failure of these parties to build a strong base and offer a compelling alternative to the status quo has made it difficult for them to challenge the political dominance of the NPP and NDC effectively. The absence of a strong third political force has meant that Ghana’s development has continued to fluctuate depending on which of the two main parties is in power.

For Ghana to realize its full potential and achieve sustainable development, there is a need for a third political force that can offer a comprehensive and unified development strategy that goes beyond partisan politics. For this to happen, Ghanaians must be willing to rally behind such a movement, recognizing that the NPP and NDC, despite their contributions, have not brought the long-term change that the nation needs.

A shift in political dynamics could mark the beginning of a new chapter in Ghana’s political history—one that prioritizes long-term development over short-term gains and finally addresses the structural challenges that have hindered the nation’s progress for decades. Whether Ghanaians are ready to embrace this change and establish a strong third force remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: without breaking the NPP-NDC dominance, Ghana’s path to sustainable development may remain uncertain.

 

By Gervin A Apatinga

[email protected]

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