It is deeply troubling to hear reports that the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, allegedly spoke rudely to former President John Agyekum Kufuor during a party meeting. The news has shocked and saddened me, many within the party and across the country.
Dr. Richard Anane, a respected member of the NPP, former Health and Roads and Transport Minister, and a former Member of Parliament for Bantama and Nhyiaeso, could not hide his disappointment when he spoke on Abusua 96.5 FM. He said, “It’s sad to see that our once-respected tradition has now sunk so low that a regional chairman can confront and speak rudely to a statesman like President Kufuor.”
And he is right. How could anyone, let alone a party officer, speak to a man like John Agyekum Kufuor in such a manner? This is someone who led Ghana with dignity, calmness, and wisdom—someone who gave his all for his country and his party. Former President Kufuor is not just a political figure; he is a father figure, a statesman, and a man whose leadership brought respect to the NPP and to Ghana as a whole.
The NPP was built on values—respect, unity, and discipline. These were the principles that held the party together from its beginnings. But today, it appears those values are being eroded. The kind of arrogance and disrespect that is beginning to show up in our politics should worry everyone who truly cares about the future of this great party.
Politics of insults and arrogance will never build a nation. They only destroy reputations, break relationships, and weaken the moral fiber of our democracy. The Ghanaian culture teaches us to respect our elders, no matter what. You can disagree with an elder, but there is always a way to express your opinion respectfully. Sadly, that culture of respect is gradually fading from our politics.
It is time for the NPP—and indeed, all camps of flagbearer aspirants—to return to the values that made them strong. Respect for elders, humility in leadership, and discipline among members must be restored. It is an internal election that we are going and our political discourse must be guided by reason, not insults; by ideas, not arrogance.
Abronye may have his views, but the manner in which we express ourselves matters. No one gains anything by disrespecting those who paved the way. The youth in politics are watching, and when they see leaders exchange insults, they grow up thinking that is how politics should be done. That is not the legacy we should be building.
Former President Kufuor deserves our utmost respect. His contributions to the NPP and to Ghana cannot be forgotten. To treat him with anything less than honor is to forget where we have come from as a party and as a people.
In the end, politics will come and go, but our values as Ghanaians—respect, humility, and decency, must remain. Let us all remember that no matter our position or status, speaking with respect and treating elders with dignity will always be a mark of true leadership.
As we approach both our internal contests and the bigger picture of the national elections, it is crucial that we remind ourselves that strength of any political tradition lies not in the loudness of its insults but in the depth of its respect, unity, and vision.
Let us therefore rise above petty name-calling and personal attacks. The Ghanaian people are watching, and they deserve a politics of maturity, not hostility. If we truly believe in the progress of our party and our nation, then civility must guide our words and respect must anchor our actions. Politics of insults divides, but politics of respect builds.
By: Prince Adjei (Guy Gee)
