Chairman of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Board, Akwasi Oppong-Fosu, has urged members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to regard the newly renamed party headquarters as a symbol of personal political responsibility and accountability.
According to him, the renaming of the headquarters should serve as a wake-up call for party members to demonstrate diligence, integrity, and commitment in the discharge of their responsibilities, both within the party and in government.
Speaking at the party’s public event on Wednesday June 28, Oppong-Fosu delivered an address on the theme, “Probity Has an Address: What the Rawlings House Demands from Us,” he stressed that preserving the legacy of former President Jerry John Rawlings requires more than remembrance, urging the political class to embody the values of integrity, institutional discipline, accountability, and social justice that defined Rawlings’ public life.
“The name ‘Rawlings House’ must be more than an inscription on a building; it must be a daily reminder of the values of integrity, accountability and social justice that President Rawlings stood for. If money continues to determine leadership selection and privilege shields some from accountability, then the naming becomes hollow symbolism.
“The greatest threat to the NDC remains the conduct of the NDC itself, and preserving Rawlings’ legacy requires us not merely to remember him, but to embody the principles he lived and sacrificed for,” he said
The former Local Minister also called for far-reaching reforms within Ghana’s public sector. He argued that the country’s progress depends largely on the state’s ability to implement sustained and deliberate reforms aimed at strengthening public accountability and reinforcing key state institutions.
On addressing socio-economic inequality, he advocated policies that place the welfare of Ghanaians at the centre of economic development. He warned that widening income and wealth disparities could undermine the democratic gains Ghana has made over the past three decades.
“If we are to honour the sacrifices that built this party and our democracy, then we must take bold and deliberate steps to tackle the growing socio-economic inequality in our country.
“Our polling station and branch executives must feel the presence and support of the party long before wealthy individuals who do not share our core values are allowed to wield influence. Democratic consolidation cannot be achieved when the grassroots remain excluded from economic opportunities and local decision-making.” He said