Political risk analyst and economist Dr. Theo Acheampong has firmly pushed back against claims that religious bias played a decisive role in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2024 electoral defeat, arguing instead that the party’s economic mismanagement was the primary cause.
Appearing on Joy News’ Newsfile on Saturday, May 3, Dr. Acheampong dismissed attempts to frame the loss as stemming from the religious identity of then-presidential candidate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, describing such claims as baseless and a distraction from the real issues.
“The evidence on the religious argument is just complete hogwash,” he stated. “You can slice and dice the data any way you want, but it’s clear — the NPP lost because of economic mismanagement.”
Dr. Acheampong, known for his data-driven approach to policy commentary, cited a series of critical policy failures — including the controversial E-Levy, the domestic debt exchange programme, and the government’s sluggish post-COVID recovery efforts — as the true turning points that led to voter discontent.
“I called for the removal of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta as early as 2022. The warning signs were everywhere,” he recalled.
He went further to challenge the religious narrative with data, pointing out that voting trends across regions did not reflect any significant anti-Muslim bias. “The NPP lost votes across the board, and the NDC gained in nearly all regions — this was consistent and not influenced by religion,” he said.
Dr. Acheampong also turned the focus back on performance-based politics, using examples from the NDC’s own primaries to illustrate that religious identity had no correlation with political success.
“Even in the NDC, 215 Christians contested and 74 lost. So is this really about religion or about competence and delivery?” he questioned.
He stressed that the real issue was the disconnect between the governing party and the frustrations of ordinary Ghanaians suffering under inflation that peaked above 54%.
“When people can’t afford food or transport, they don’t care what religion you practice,” he said. “Voters wanted relief, not rhetoric.”
Citing reports from Dr. Bawumia’s post-election tour, Dr. Acheampong said it was clear that the party’s grassroots and leadership were deeply dissatisfied with how things had been handled.
“The pain and anger are real. But if the NPP wants a political comeback, it must stop scapegoating and start reckoning with its governance failures,” he said.
He concluded with a sharp message: “The elephant didn’t lose because it had a Muslim at the helm. It lost because it trampled over the economic wellbeing of Ghanaians. That’s the truth they must face.”
