Ghanaians know the Sankofa bird. Its feet point forward, but its head looks back. The Akan proverb behind it says there is no wrong in going back for what you forgot. On Sunday 11 October 2026, at Hexham Community Centre in Reading, members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) did just that.
Dr Anane Agyei, Executive Director of the Busia Institute for Rural and Democratic Development (BIRDD), told them to learn the Party’s history, defend its principles and apply them. He gave the keynote address at a seminar on “The Vision, Philosophy, Values and Historical Foundations of the New Patriotic Party”.
NPP UK, BIRDD and the NPP UK Reading Chapter organised the seminar. Dr Agyei is no stranger to the UK. He was the guest speaker at the NPP UK North London Chapter Youth Festival in July 2025. In August 2026, BIRDD, the institute he leads, joined the Young Executive Forum (YEF UK) to organise the 2026 Busia Institute Lecture. Its speakers were former President John Agyekum, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh and the Chairman of YEF UK, Bennard Owusu. He gave the keynote address at a seminar held at Hexham Community Centre. The theme was “The Vision, Philosophy, Values and Historical Foundations of the New Patriotic Party”.
Dr Agyei is no stranger to the UK. He was the guest speaker at the NPP UK North London Chapter Youth Festival in July 2025. In August 2026, BIRDD, the institute he leads, joined the Young Executive Forum (YEF UK) to organise the 2026 Busia Institute Lecture. Its speakers were former President John Agyekum Kufuor, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh and the Chairman of YEF UK, Bennard Owusu.
Robert Bosco Owusu, Deputy NPP UK Branch Organiser and a member of the Reading Chapter, was the Master of Ceremonies. He told the gathering what the evening was for.
“We want every member to leave this room knowing where our Party comes from and what it believes. We also want them to know what the Party expects of them.”
The Chairman of the Reading Chapter, Isaac Barnie, then welcomed members and said why the Chapter had organised the seminar.
“A Chapter grows when its members know their Party. We held this seminar so that our members can speak about the Party with confidence.”
Dr Agyei began with Sankofa, which he summed up as return, retrieve and proceed. He said the seminar would recover historical evidence, explain the Party’s ideas and assess present responsibilities.
He described the NPP as a political tradition made up of successive organisations, and not one unbroken party. It began with the United Gold Coast Convention at Saltpond on 4 August 1947. It passed through the Ghana Congress Party, the Northern People’s Party, the National Liberation Movement, the United Party and the Progress Party. It reached the Fourth Republic as the NPP in 1992.
“The NPP is not merely a political party founded in 1992; it is the present political expression of a democratic tradition whose organised journey began with the UGCC in 1947,” he said.
He added that this history must be told with care. It must not erase the central role of Kwame Nkrumah in the final struggle for independence.
Dr Agyei then spoke of three men who shaped the tradition. J. B. Danquah stood for liberty, secure property and economic independence. S. D. Dombo stood for inclusion, northern representation and alliances across regions. K. A. Busia stood for welfare, and judged public action by the dignity and wellbeing of citizens.
He called the Party’s philosophy centre-right and liberal-conservative. He also dealt with property-owning democracy, which he said is often misunderstood.
“Property-owning democracy is not about taking what belongs to the state; it is about empowering free citizens to use their knowledge, skills and enterprise to acquire property lawfully,” he said.
On values, he named freedom, justice, human dignity, enterprise, solidarity, accountability, internal democracy and public service. He said the Party must show these values in its own conduct as well as in government.
“Internal democracy is the first test of a political party that seeks the people’s mandate to govern a democratic nation,” he said.
Turning to the motto, he said the word “in” carries weight. Progress must come under constitutional rights, and at no cost to them.
“Development that suppresses freedom is incomplete, while freedom that leaves citizens without opportunity is insecure,” he said.
He also looked at the Party’s own record. A tradition stays credible, he said, when it applies its declared principles to its own conduct and decisions. After an election defeat, he added, the Party should review its policies and answer for them.
Mr Otuo Acheampong, Second Vice-Chairman of the NPP UK Branch, represented the Branch Chairman, Andy Owusu. Lawyer Enoch Anhwere Afoakwah, a member of the NPP Legal Team, was present. So were Branch Executive members Ms Eunice Acheampomaa and Ms Effe Blankson, with other members and guests.
Dr Agyei proposed four activities for the Reading Chapter: quarterly seminars on Party history, training in the use of the Party Constitution, discussions on public policy, and an archive and oral history project.
He asked every member to read the Constitution, starting with Articles 1 to 4 on the Party’s identity, aims, and the rights and duties of members.
The Chapter Secretary, Osei Domfeh, said the Chapter would act on this.
“This seminar gave us a direction. We will turn what we learnt into regular Chapter activities, so that learning about our Party becomes a habit.”
At the end of the evening, participants were asked to write down what they will do to help the NPP win the 2028 general elections.
The Reading seminar belongs to a larger plan. The NPP UK Chairman, Andy Owusu, has promised members a series of seminars and workshops. Reading is the first of many.
The reason is simple. A Party that asks voters for their trust needs members who know its history and its values. The 2028 general elections are the next test.
Members who can explain the Party’s principles can speak for it in their own communities. Dr Agyei’s call for internal democracy also needs members who know their rights and duties under the Party Constitution.
BY JIBRIL SALIFU, DEPUTY COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, NPP UK
