Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante, a Political Science Lecturer at the University of Ghana, has raised significant questions regarding the implications of a potential apology from the New Patriotic Party (NPP). This follows a call from Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, who has urged the NPP to acknowledge the current economic hardships in Ghana and issue an apology to the citizens.
Agyapong emphasized the importance of humility in addressing the nation’s economic struggles. He believes that acknowledging the difficulties and apologizing for any mistakes is essential for regaining the trust of the electorate. “Let’s go out there with humility, apologize to Ghanaians, and admit your mistakes before you can convince anybody to vote for you,” Agyapong stated. “If we ignore the hardships Ghanaians are going through, they will never accept what we are saying.”
However, Dr. Asah-Asante has posed critical questions about what exactly the NPP would be admitting to with such an apology. He suggests that the party needs to clarify whether they are admitting to mismanaging the economy or blaming external factors, such as the Russian-Ukraine war, for the economic challenges.
“If you want to render an apology, we want to know a few things. Which of the problems we are facing do you want to admit that you have caused? Are they saying they have mismanaged the economy? Or are they still talking about the fact that it is Russian-Ukraine war?” Dr. Asah-Asante asked during an interview on JoyNews’ AM Show. He emphasized the need for the NPP to come clean and provide detailed explanations for their apology. “They should come clean and then be able to give us all the details that, we are apologizing for our part, then we know,” he added.
Dr. Asah-Asante also highlighted that while an apology might not necessarily guarantee acceptance from the public, it remains an essential aspect of good governance. He noted that admitting faults and engaging in self-introspection is crucial for any political party. “The fact that you have apologized does not mean that people will accept. But it’s a good thing in governance that you admit your fault. Whether people take it or not is another issue but at least you have come to what Aristotle calls self-introspection. You have examined your life and then you are coming out.”
The lecturer acknowledged that the suggestion for an apology, though prompted by Kennedy Agyapong, still falls within the party’s internal discussions. “Even though this one is at the instance of Kennedy Agyapong and all that, it is still within the party,” he remarked.
