In a bold display of internal accountability, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Upper East Region has taken sweeping disciplinary action against several of its executives and members, signaling a renewed commitment to integrity and transparency ahead of future elections.
At the centre of the purge is Sawuda Bilgumsey, the party’s now-dismissed Second Vice Chairman for Pusiga, who was found to have defrauded nearly 100 party members of over GHS 1 million under the false promise of jobs in Ghana’s security services. The Regional Executive Committee announced his immediate expulsion after a thorough disciplinary probe.
Bilgumsey has also been indefinitely banned from holding any position within the party until full restitution is made. “Though the party’s coffers were not affected directly, his actions have gravely tarnished our image,” said Upper East Regional Chairman, Lawyer Anthony Namoo.
The crackdown forms part of a wider effort by the party to sanitize its structures, especially in the Pusiga and Tempane constituencies, where political misconduct allegedly tainted the 2024 general election process. Following complaints filed in January 2025, the Regional Disciplinary Committee held hearings in March, ultimately finding 16 out of 21 investigated members guilty of various offences.
Among the hardest hit are constituency executives: Communications Officer Emmanuel Atesiba, Treasurer Jacob Akazusah, and First Vice Chairman Musah Awudu—all slapped with five-year bans and immediate removal from office. Others received suspensions ranging from three to four years.
In contrast, five individuals, including the Constituency Research and Elections Officer, Salifu Ibn Adams, were cleared of wrongdoing—an outcome party leadership says reflects the fairness of the process.
The Regional Executive Committee ratified the disciplinary decisions on 1 August 2025, after reviewing the committee’s final report submitted on 20 June. Local constituency leaders have been tasked to swiftly fill the leadership gaps created by the expulsions and suspensions.
Chairman Namoo lauded the committee’s diligence, noting the sanctions mark a turning point for the NPP’s political culture in the region. “This is about more than punishment—it’s about setting a higher bar for conduct and rebuilding public trust,” he stated.
Observers see the move as a calculated step by the NPP to clean house ahead of a crucial political season. With internal reform taking centre stage, the party appears poised to reassert discipline and credibility in a region long known for its politically competitive terrain.
