Oppong Nkrumah's response to the NPP's loss

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Works and Housing Minister and Member of Parliament for Ofoase/Ayirebi in the Eastern Region, has called on Ghana's political leaders to listen more to the people's issues while emphasizing that the people have the last say.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah stressed the value of public accountability in an interview with JoyNews, reminding lawmakers that the people can decide their fate when their four-year term is up.

"The Ghanaian public needs to be heard more by the political elite. The people hold the power. They provide us that authority for a period of four years, and at the conclusion of that time, they will hold you responsible. Pay closer attention to the people who hire us and who you work for because that's how you handle problems," he remarked.

His comments follow the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) gaining a majority in the 9th Parliament and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) suffering heavy defeats in the parliamentary elections. Provisional results, though not yet officially verified, indicate that the NPP suffered significant losses in the presidential race as well.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah voiced concern about the reduction in party support and voter turnout, even though he was able to hold onto his seat in Ofoase/Ayirebi with 58.1% of the vote.

He explained this by saying that party members' rising discontent with the party's internal operations and leadership was the cause of this.

We discovered cases of people refusing to cast their ballots all around the nation, some of them even at polling places out of frustration or rage. Others indicated that unless we offered them money, they wouldn't cast a ballot. He clarified that these feelings are a reflection of a wider problem in the country.

The NPP's performance was greatly impacted by a "wind of change" that was sweeping through Ghana, according to the minister of works and housing.

Despite these obstacles, he gave his campaign staff credit for resolving voters' worries and winning Byoase/Ayirebi by a significant majority.

He went on to say that in order to enhance governance and fortify its ties with the voters, the party must welcome criticism and make the required changes.

He went on to say, "I believe that we need to promote a culture of internal disagreements, without treating those who disagree as, for lack of a better phrase, eternal enemies."