Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has emphasized that the party’s commitment to cleaning up the system under a future John Mahama-led government does not mean a wholesale replacement of New Patriotic Party (NPP) members in public office.
Speaking in an interview on Accra FM, Asiedu Nketia addressed misconceptions among some NDC grassroots supporters who expect that NPP loyalists will be automatically removed and replaced with NDC members when the party returns to power.
He pointed out that such a politically motivated purge is not in the national interest and does not align with the NDC’s principles of meritocracy and national service.
“The clean-up we talk about is not about removing every NPP person and replacing them with NDC people,” he stated. “That’s what the NPP did when they came into power—they removed competent people just because they were affiliated with the NDC. But that approach backfired. It led to square pegs in round holes, and the country suffered for it.”
The NDC Chairman explained that while there will be accountability for wrongdoing, not every NPP-affiliated public servant is corrupt or unfit for office.
“If someone has committed a crime or engaged in corrupt practices, they will be held accountable,” he said. “But there are also NPP members who have worked diligently and served the country well. We must not remove people simply because of their political leanings.”
Asiedu Nketia called on party supporters to embrace a more mature and nation-first approach to governance.
“This is about Ghana. We must rise above vindictiveness and look at who can deliver. When I was in government, and we were replaced en masse, it did not help the new administration or the country. We must learn from the past.”
He reaffirmed the NDC’s position as a party that represents the collective interest of Ghanaians, adding that competence, integrity, and dedication—not partisanship—would be the guiding principles in public sector appointments under an NDC administration.
