Bawumia elevates former rival contenders into key NPP policy roles

Former Vice President and 2024 Presidential Candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP)⁠, Mahamudu Bawumia, is being credited by party insiders for backing a broad-based reorganization strategy that has brought several influential figures and former internal contenders into key policy and strategic positions within the party’s newly constituted committees ahead of the 2028 general elections.

The latest appointments, announced after a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee and National Council on Thursday, May 7, 2026, are being interpreted by political observers as a calculated effort to promote unity and consolidate the party following the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 general elections.

Among the notable appointments is businessman and former Assin Central Member of Parliament, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, who has been named Co-Chair of the party’s Employment and Jobs Policy Committee. Kennedy Agyapong, who contested Dr. Bawumia during the NPP’s presidential primaries ahead of the 2024 elections, remains one of the most influential grassroots figures within the party.

Known for his outspoken political style and strong business background, Kennedy Agyapong played a highly visible role during the party’s internal presidential contest, campaigning heavily on themes of entrepreneurship, job creation, industrialization, and support for local businesses.

Despite losing the flagbearer race to Dr. Bawumia, he retained a significant support base within the party, particularly among grassroots delegates and sections of the business community.

His appointment to lead the Employment and Jobs Policy Committee alongside Member of Parliament Mavis Nkansah Boadu is being viewed as an attempt by the party leadership to tap into his experience in enterprise development and employment advocacy while also maintaining internal party cohesion.

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Another major appointment is that of former Agriculture Minister and Abetifi Member of Parliament, Bryan Acheampong, who has been named Co-Chair of the Security, Intelligence and Defence Committee together with Rev. John Ntim Fordjour.

Dr. Bryan Acheampong has over the years built a strong profile within both government and party structures, having served in various ministerial and security-related capacities under the Akufo-Addo administration.

Before his appointment as Agriculture Minister, he served as Minister of State at the Ministry of National Security and was widely associated with government security coordination and intelligence matters.

Within the NPP, Bryan Acheampong has also increasingly been viewed as one of the emerging power brokers with strong organizational influence and political ambitions of his own. His latest appointment is expected to place him at the center of the party’s policy discussions on national security, intelligence coordination, internal security reforms, and defence strategy as the party seeks to redefine its policy alternatives in opposition.

Former Education Minister and Bosomtwe Member of Parliament, Yaw Osei Adutwum, was also appointed Co-Chair of the Education Policy Committee alongside Dr. Prince Hamid Armah.

Dr. Adutwum became one of the most recognizable figures in Ghana’s education sector during the Akufo-Addo administration due to his role in implementing and defending major educational reforms, including the Free Senior High School programme, STEM education expansion, curriculum reforms, and technical and vocational education initiatives.

Before entering Ghanaian politics, he spent several years in the United States as an educationist and school administrator, establishing educational institutions and advocating science and technology-driven learning systems. His expertise in education policy and reform made him a central figure in the NPP government’s education agenda, earning him both praise and criticism over the handling of reforms within the sector.

Political observers say his inclusion in the committee reflects the NPP’s intention to maintain education as one of its strongest policy pillars despite being in opposition.

The party also appointed former NPP General Secretary and former presidential hopeful, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, as Co-Chair of the Roads Policy Committee alongside Kennedy Osei Nyarko.

Kwabena Agyepong remains one of the long-standing figures within the Danquah-Busia-Dombo political tradition and previously served as Press Secretary to former President John Agyekum Kufuor before later becoming General Secretary of the NPP.

His political career, however, has experienced periods of turbulence, including internal disagreements and suspensions during earlier phases of the party’s internal struggles.

In recent years, he has remained active within party affairs and was among several senior figures who contested the NPP’s presidential primaries before the 2024 elections.

His return to a major policy role is being interpreted as part of broader reconciliation efforts aimed at bringing experienced party figures back into active strategic engagement.

Meanwhile, former Information Minister and Ofoase-Ayirebi Member of Parliament, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, was appointed Secretary to one of the party’s strategic policy structures, further reinforcing his growing influence within the NPP’s policy and communication establishment.

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who rose from a media and legal background into frontline politics, has become one of the party’s most prominent communicators over the past decade.

He served as Information Minister and later as Minister for Works and Housing under the Akufo-Addo administration, playing major roles in government communication, policy advocacy, and parliamentary debates.

Party insiders believe his appointment reflects the confidence the leadership continues to place in his communication skills, policy articulation, and strategic planning capabilities as the NPP reorganizes itself for the future.

The latest appointments come at a critical moment for the NPP following its defeat in the 2024 elections and amid growing discussions about the party’s future leadership direction toward the 2028 presidential race.

Analysts say the inclusion of former rivals and influential political figures in major policy committees signals a deliberate attempt by Dr. Bawumia and the party leadership to project unity, reduce internal divisions, and harness the expertise of different factions within the party.

According to the NPP leadership, the newly constituted committees are expected to provide expert guidance, deepen stakeholder engagement, develop alternative policy proposals, and strengthen the party’s readiness for future national governance responsibilities.