Dr. Ziba Daniel, an aspirant for the Upper East Regional Treasurer position of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has maintained that the party remains a development-driven political force, attributing its loss in the 2024 general elections largely to what he described as effective propaganda by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Speaking on A1 Radio, Dr. Ziba Daniel argued that from 2020 to 2024, almost every major policy rolled out by the NPP government was subjected to intense negative propaganda, which, in his view, shaped public perception against the party.
“The NDC did propaganda on virtually every policy of the NPP, and Ghanaians bought into it. That made it easy for them to win the election,” he stated.
He admitted that expectations within the party, including the projection of winning about seven parliamentary seats in the Upper East Region, did not materialize.
However, he insisted that electoral outcomes are influenced by multiple factors, including public sentiment and economic hardships.
Dr. Ziba Daniel noted that many Ghanaians perceived the NPP government as “punishing the people,” particularly due to unpopular measures such as new taxes and the debt exchange programme, commonly referred to as the “haircut.”
He clarified that while these policies caused significant hardship, they were not necessarily ideological choices but responses to debt pressures inherited and accumulated over time.
Turning his attention to the NDC’s campaign promises, Dr. Ziba questioned the pace of implementation of flagship policies such as the much-touted 24-hour economy and the proposed Women’s Bank.
“They promised jobs through a 24-hour economy. Is it happening in Bolgatanga, Accra, or Kumasi?” he asked. On the Women’s Bank, he argued that a bank should be a physical, accessible structure, not just a budgetary allocation concentrated in Accra and out of reach for rural women.
Drawing comparisons, Dr. Ziba highlighted the NPP’s record in 2017, noting that despite financial constraints, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo implemented the Free Senior High School policy within his first year in office.
“That is what it means to govern by your word,” he said.
He further contended that the current administration is largely operating on the 2024 budget inherited from the NPP, with its newly presented budget set to take effect in 2026.
According to him, the high parliamentary majority and public trust given to the NDC come with a responsibility to deliver tangible results, not rhetoric.
“As NPP members, we did our best, even when some policies were unpopular,” Dr. Ziba Daniel concluded, stressing that governance must ultimately be judged by delivery, not promises.
Source: A1 Radio | 101.1Mhz | Moses Apiah | Bolgatanga
