Former Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Afia Akoto, has been appointed Secretary to the Christian C
Former Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Afia Akoto, has been appointed Secretary to the Christian Category of the Religious and Chieftaincy Committee of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) as part of the party’s ongoing restructuring and reorganization efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
Her appointment was announced following a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Council held on Thursday, May 7, 2026, where the NPP officially constituted several standing and sector committees aimed at repositioning the party after the 2024 elections.
Afia Akoto’s nomination was made by the NPP’s 2028 Presidential Candidate, Mahamudu Bawumia, and subsequently approved by the NEC as part of efforts to bring experienced party loyalists and grassroots mobilizers into the party’s reorganized structure.
Her appointment is being interpreted by political observers as recognition of her active role within the NPP over the years, particularly her contribution to Dr. Bawumia’s campaign activities during the party’s previous electoral engagements.
During the 2024 election season and the NPP presidential primaries, Afia Akoto was regarded as one of the visible female political figures associated with Dr. Bawumia’s campaign team, actively participating in mobilization, outreach, and grassroots political engagement.
Under the newly constituted Religious and Chieftaincy Committee for the Christian Category, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour and former Minister Sampson Kwaku Boafo were appointed Co-Chairs, while Afia Akoto takes up the role of Secretary.
Other members of the committee include former Information Minister Asamoah Boateng, former Volta Regional Minister Kofi Dzamesi, Irene Naa Torshie Addo, Elizabeth Kwatsoe Tawiah Sackey, Dr. Isaac Owusu-Mensah, Dr. Susana Alo, Dr. Opoku Mensah, and Napaga Clara Tia Sulemana.
The Religious and Chieftaincy Committee is expected to play a strategic role in strengthening the party’s relationship with religious bodies, traditional authorities, and faith-based organizations across the country as the NPP seeks to rebuild its grassroots influence and reconnect with key stakeholders ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Afia Akoto’s latest appointment also adds to her growing profile within the NPP following her strong showing during the Okaikwei North parliamentary primaries held in December 2023.
Although she was unsuccessful in her bid to become the NPP parliamentary candidate for the constituency ahead of the 2024 elections, she emerged as one of the strongest contenders in the race.
The primary was eventually won by the former Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei, who secured 341 votes, while Afia Akoto placed second with 228 votes.
Her performance in the contest was considered significant because she outperformed several established political figures, including former Okaikwei North MP Fuseini Issah, who polled 114 votes, and veteran editor Kenneth Kuranchie, who obtained 27 votes.
During the campaign period, Afia Akoto gained considerable attention within the constituency and on social media, where supporters popularly referred to her by the nickname “The Landlady,” a branding strategy that became synonymous with her grassroots campaign style and visibility in the constituency.
Before the primaries, she successfully passed the party’s vetting process and picked number three on the ballot paper, positioning herself as one of the most competitive candidates in the race.
Despite her defeat in the parliamentary contest, she has remained active within the constituency and party structures, a move many interpret as preparation for another possible contest in the future.
Her recent decision to reportedly pay for nomination forms for all polling station executives within the Okaikwei North constituency has further fueled speculation that she is positioning herself strongly for another parliamentary bid ahead of the next internal party primaries.
Afia Akoto’s latest appointment by the party leadership not only rewards her loyalty and campaign efforts but also keeps her politically relevant within the NPP’s national organizational framework as the party prepares for a major political rebuilding process toward the 2028 elections.
The broader reorganization exercise by the NPP is aimed at strengthening policy coordination, grassroots mobilization, stakeholder engagement, and internal unity after the party’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
Several party figures, including former ministers, Members of Parliament, communicators, and grassroots organizers, were assigned strategic roles within the newly constituted committees.
Party officials say the committees are expected to provide guidance, strategic direction, and organizational support as the NPP intensifies preparations toward recapturing political power in the 2028 general elections.
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