Former Vice President and New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential hopeful, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has pledged to introduce a formal welfare system for party members—a move aimed at addressing grassroots dissatisfaction that some party insiders believe contributed to voter apathy in the 2024 elections.
During a campaign swing through Ghana’s Eastern Region this week, Dr. Bawumia said the proposed program would be a cornerstone of his leadership, should he secure the NPP’s nomination and ultimately the presidency in 2026.
“An army marches on its stomach,” Dr. Bawumia told a gathering of current and former constituency executives, invoking a military adage to underscore the urgency of providing economic and logistical support to the party’s rank and file. “If we don’t take care of our people, we can’t expect them to carry us to victory.”
The comments come amid reports of growing frustration among grassroots members of the center-right NPP, many of whom say they feel overlooked by the party’s leadership in Accra. Dr. Bawumia cited internal research suggesting that a significant number of party loyalists abstained from voting in the 2024 general elections, citing a lack of engagement and tangible support.
To reverse this trend, the former Vice President outlined a blueprint for a comprehensive welfare program designed to support party members whether the NPP is in power or in opposition. Key to the plan is the establishment of a “Welfare Desk” at all levels of the party’s structure—from national to constituency—to collect data, monitor needs, and ensure equitable access to party resources.
“No more ‘adidigya’ or ‘menyaa hwee’,” Dr. Bawumia declared, referencing common Twi expressions of disillusionment meaning “I’ve been used” and “I got nothing.”
He said the welfare strategy would ensure that resources are directly channeled to the grassroots to support party activities and foster a more inclusive internal structure. “We will implement targeted policies that speak directly to the concerns of our people,” he added.
Dr. Bawumia’s two-day tour of the Eastern Region, a traditional NPP stronghold, comes as part of his bid to solidify support ahead of the party’s January 2026 presidential primaries. His campaign has so far secured the endorsement of 15 of the region’s 23 NPP Members of Parliament—a significant show of strength in a critical electoral zone.
As the NPP seeks to rebuild momentum after its bruising 2024 performance, Bawumia’s pivot toward party welfare may resonate with the foot soldiers and local operatives who have long complained of being sidelined once elections are over.
Whether the proposal will be enough to rally the party’s base—and secure Bawumia’s place at the top of the ticket—remains to be seen.
