The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) flagbearer contest is heating up, and Dr. Bryan Acheampong, MP for Abetifi and former Minister for Food and Agricultur
The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) flagbearer contest is heating up, and Dr. Bryan Acheampong, MP for Abetifi and former Minister for Food and Agriculture, has thrown down a challenge that is echoing across the party’s grassroots and leadership corridors: name one person who has funded the party more than I have.
Addressing a gathering of party faithful in Kwahu on Monday, Acheampong declared, “There is not a single person in the NPP who has financially sponsored the party more than I have since its formation. I just want to hear one name.”
His statement was not a casual boast — it came just 24 hours after a group of young and energetic NPP executives picked up presidential nomination forms on his behalf at the party’s headquarters in Accra.
The youth delegation, dressed in full party regalia, travelled from different constituencies to deliver the forms to Dr Acheampong’s campaign team, led by former Tema West MP Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah.
Carlos Ahenkorah described the move as “more than symbolic,” portraying it as a demonstration of trust in Acheampong’s leadership and a sign of his deep-rooted grassroots support.
“This is the kind of unity and energy that will take the NPP to victory in 2028,” he said.
Acheampong’s claim carries weight in the NPP’s political history. Formed in 1992 from the Danquah-Busia-Dombo political tradition, the party has been backed over the decades by wealthy industrialists, business magnates, and influential diaspora networks, particularly during its lean opposition years.
Figures like Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Kwame Pianim, and various private sector financiers have often been credited with bankrolling party activities, campaign tours, and legal battles.
Acheampong is now asserting that his financial contributions have eclipsed them all.
Detailing his support, he disclosed: “In 2024, I gave each of 27 Eastern Region parliamentary candidates GH¢100,000 monthly and GH¢2 million each to 26,000 polling station executives.”
If uncontested, such a claim could recast Bryan Acheampong not merely as a well-resourced contender but as the party’s most significant financier in three decades — a factor that could weigh heavily in the January 2026 primaries.
From Minister to Flagbearer Contender
Beyond his financial muscle, Bryan Acheampong has built a political profile as a strategist and disciplinarian.
His tenure at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture was marked by policy reforms aimed at modernising Ghana’s agricultural sector.
In Parliament, he is known for his meticulous approach to legislative business and constituency engagement.
Supporters at Monday’s event described him as “the perfect blend of political experience, resource capacity, and grassroots connection.”
The Road to January 2026
The NPP’s upcoming presidential primaries are shaping up to be one of the most competitive in its history.
Bryan Acheampong will face off against notable contenders, including Kennedy Agyapong, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, and likely former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who is expected to pick his nomination forms soon.
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