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Dr Arthur Kobina Kennedy, a Physician and political activist, has said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) amnesty is pure hypocrisy.
According to Dr Arthur Kennedy, the NPP owes suspended members apologies rather than granting them amnesty.
He asserted that the NPP leadership must issue a public apology to the suspended members it has now granted amnesty to.
Speaking on JOYNEWS AM Show on Monday, August 18, Dr Kennedy said, “I think the intent is good, but the execution was botched. The unity that is needed is indispensable to the success of political parties, as history has shown. But I think we owe a lot of people apologies, not just amnesties”
“We need to apologise to Ghanaians for running the party as if it were a private club that belongs to a few individuals. A party is a public institution and must be run in a way that attracts people,” he added.
Dr Kennedy explained, “In actual fact, the 2024 elections we lost partly because we were divided. Twenty per cent of John Mahama’s votes came from old NPP members who never resigned publicly, so they don’t need amnesty. But those votes must be earned back in 2028”.
“The same way you suspended and humiliated them, that is the same place you should go and make peace with them. The apologies are important—not only to Afoko and others, but to the people of Ghana, for policies such as spending $100 million on a hole while children still studied under trees and markets remained uncompleted,” he said.
Meanwhile, Paul Afoko, the former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has said it is wrong of the party to extend an olive branch and then impose conditions.
The former NPP chairman added that if the party’s goal is to bring people back together, then the party cannot put hurdles in their way.
Speaking on Okay FM with host Kwame Nkrumah Tikese, Paul Afoko stated, “The olive branch extended by the NPP is a good thing,” he said, acknowledging the effort at reconciliation. “But it is wrong for the party to impose conditions on the amnesty. There should be no conditions or rules tied to the return of former members.”
“If you want to bring people back together for a common goal, then you cannot at the same time put hurdles in their way. That is not reconciliation,” he stressed.
Paul Afoko further urged the party to implement a more inclusive posture to restore true unity, rather than creating rules that, in his view, could reignite old divisions.
Their remarks follow the NPP’s granting all suspended party members general amnesty.
According to the NPP, the move is aimed at promoting unity and reconciliation.
The amnesty has been granted to all members suspended or who have pending disciplinary cases.
On August 16, 2025, in a statement signed by Mr. Danquah Smith Buttey, the Acting National Chairman read, “I bring you warm greetings from the national secretariat of the party.
I write to inform you that the National Council, at its Emergency Meeting held on Friday, July 25, 2025, resolved in the interest of unity and reconciliation to grant a General Amnesty to all Party members who have been suspended or whose disciplinary cases are currently pending before the appropriate adjudicatory bodies.
We hereby serve notice that this directive lifts all such suspensions and waives any ongoing proceedings against affected members”, the statement noted.
The NPP’s acting chairman’s statement continued, “Members who have forfeited their membership are required to submit a formal application to he national secretariat for reinstatement. Upon reinstatement, you shall remain ineligible to contest any internal party election until a mandatory two-year period has elapsed.
This measure reflects the Party’s unwavering commitment to fostering internal cohesion, strengthening solidarity, and preparing collectively for the political tasks ahead”.
The statement further added, “In view of this resolution, Party leadership at all levels is hereby strictly advised to refrain from any arbitrary suspension of members. All disciplinary matter must be handled solely in accordance with the procedures, principles, and due process provisions expressly enshrined in the Party’s constitution. The National Secretariat requests your full compliance with this directive.
We count on your continued cooperation”.
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