National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Chairmanship hopeful, Hon. Dr. Akwasi Opong-Fosu, has called on political leaders and media commentators to immediately end the use of reckless insults, character assassination, and ethnic politics ahead of the upcoming elections.
Delivering a keynote address as Special Guest at the 2026 Hlefi Traditional Area Yam Festival—held under the theme “Uniting Citizens for Development”— the former Local Government Minister drew attention to what he described as a painful truth the normalisation of vitriol, profanities, and character assassination in the media space that undermine unity and fired a direct shot at the perpetrators and their cheerleaders warning that physical infrastructure and economic policies cannot be sustained without national trust and cohesion.
Restoring Core Values and Grassroots Water Needs
Commending the Paramount Chief, Togbui Adame Danku X, for taking a principled stand on the state of the nation’s values, Dr Opong-Fosu drew a sharp contrast between a political philosophy based on mutual respect even in disagreement and the current belligerent political culture. He declared that his campaign for the NDC National Chairmanship is fundamentally a crusade to mobilize a strong, united and cohesive party to consolidate its power and gains as well as protect the legacy of President John Dramani Mahama.
Putting his commitment to grassroots welfare into immediate action, the former Cabinet Minister pledged to collaborate with Ho West MP, Hon. Emmanuel Bedzrah towards the realization of their water project.
A Call out on Political Hostility
Dr. Opong-Fosu delivered a note of caution to political players turning the airwaves into a destructive war zone where character assassination and identity politics are rewarded with applause.
Referencing the dark history of political collapse across the continent, he reminded politicians that national destruction never begins on the battlefield, but on the microphone.
> “Look at the history of nations that fell into chaos—it did not start with guns; it started with tongues,” Opong-Fosu warned. “When political actors and social commentators sow verbal aggression into the soul of our communities, we reap harvest fields of hatred, distrust, and violence.”
Unity as the Real Engine for Victory and Governance
Framing the festival’s theme as a harsh reality check for politicians, Dr. Opong-Fosu insisted that solving Ghana’s mounting crises—from youth unemployment to broken roads—requires political adversaries who are capable of sitting at the same table without demonizing each other.
He challenged traditional authorities to stop treating political provocateurs with kid gloves, urging them to act as uncompromising custodians of national morality.
Setting a high standard for leadership as the NDC prepares for its national contests, Dr. Opong-Fosu threw a caution to political players across the spectrum:
> “No political victory, no partisan agenda, and no parliamentary seat is worth sacrificing the peace, the unity, and the future of the Republic of Ghana that we call our home.”
The high-profile gathering was chaired by Efo Biadela Mortey Akpadzi, Former Executive Director for EOCO and Chairman of the Gold Board Tribunal, alongside Togbui Adame Danku X, traditional leaders from across the Volta Region, and Ho West MP, Hon. Emmanuel Bedzrah.
The annual Hlefi Yam Festival is a major cultural and developmental showcase held by the chiefs and people of the Hlefi Traditional Area in the Ho West Constituency. Serving as a traditional harvest celebration to mark the end of the farming season, the festival doubles as a strategic political and economic platform for homecoming, cultural preservation, and mobilizing funds for critical local infrastructure projects.
