Member of Parliament for New Juaben South, Michael Okyere Baafi, says the New Patriotic Party’s electoral defeat highlights the unpredictability of Ghanaian voters, despite what he describes as strong policy achievements during the party’s time in office.
Speaking in an interview on Angel FM in Kumasi, the former Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry noted that political parties often assume they will remain in power indefinitely once elected.
He said governance comes with a false sense of permanence, adding that parties in power sometimes underestimate how quickly voter sentiment can shift.
Recalling the NPP’s return to power in 2016, he said the party was buoyed by optimism and policy innovations that were widely praised at the time.
According to him, many supporters believed the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) would remain out of power for decades due to the scale of reforms introduced.
However, he noted that political fortunes changed rapidly, with the NPP nearly losing power in the 2020 election before eventually losing the 2024 polls.
He attributed the outcome largely to changing voter expectations, especially among younger voters.
He argued that the rising influence of younger demographics has made electoral outcomes less predictable, with employment emerging as a key deciding factor.
He stressed that job creation remains the central concern for many voters, particularly the youth, who he described as increasingly decisive in elections.
The MP also used the discussion to criticise the Ashanti Regional Minister, Frank Amoakohene, accusing him of not focusing enough on job creation.
He contrasted this with what he described as modest employment facilitation efforts in other regions, while insisting that leadership should be judged primarily on its impact on livelihoods.
He maintained that political leaders must prioritise employment generation, arguing that job creation remains the most effective way to earn public approval and trust.
