Pastor Dr. Divine Bubune Ayivor, PhD, a leading member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), says the party is repositioning itself ahead of the 2028 general elections, not merely as a custodian of Ghana’s political history but as a force determined to address what it describes as longstanding structural challenges in the country.
He said the CPP intends to build its political platform around industrial sovereignty, strategic control of natural resources, and a redefinition of national security.
“We will mobilize to build a platform around industrial sovereignty, strategic resource control, and a redefinition of national security,” Pastor Dr. Ayivor stated.
According to him, the party’s objective is to complete what he described as the unfinished agenda of independence by adapting Nkrumahist ideals to meet current economic and geopolitical realities.
“The CPP is not here to sell nostalgia. We are here to correct structural distortions that have kept Ghana exporting raw materials and importing poverty for 67 years….a system that has established a dual-political structure to the disadvantage of the Ghanaian as these elements continue to loot the resources of the nation for personal gains,” he said.
Pastor Ayivor said a major component of the CPP’s economic agenda would be the local processing of Ghana’s natural resources before export, alongside greater national participation and control in the mining sector.
He indicated that a CPP government would seek to nationalise mines and prioritise value addition, arguing that the approach aligns with wider African discussions on resource beneficiation, including policy debates in countries such as Zambia and Zimbabwe as well as across the ECOWAS region.
He noted, however, that moving Ghana away from a “pit-to-port” economy would require substantial investment, legal reforms and negotiations with existing investors.
Pastor Ayivor explained that a future CPP administration would develop a financing framework involving sovereign investment vehicles, diaspora capital and redesigned public-private partnerships, while reviewing mining agreements to ensure the country retains greater value from its resources.
“We are not anti-investment. We are pro-Ghana. The corrective is simple: if the gold, bauxite, lithium, and manganese are ours, then the factories, the jobs, and the technology must be ours too,” he stressed.
The CPP stalwart also expressed support for proposals aimed at strengthening Ghana’s defence capabilities and exploring nuclear technology, describing it as a response to changes in the global environment where energy security and technological independence are becoming increasingly important.
He argued that an industrialised Ghana would require broader energy options beyond the current mix and cautioned that rejecting nuclear energy entirely could limit the country’s strategic influence in future negotiations.
Pastor Ayivor further linked public procurement policies to national industrial development, arguing that prioritising local products would create demand for domestic businesses while reducing foreign exchange pressures caused by imports.
He said the CPP was seeking to differentiate itself from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) by combining Nkrumah’s principles of self-reliance, industrialisation and Pan-African leadership with modern realities such as global trade regulations, climate commitments and digital finance.
He added that the party’s ability to transform its historical relevance into a contemporary political force would depend on how effectively it addresses key challenges, including financing, international trade obligations and building broader alliances.
On financing, Pastor Ayivor said the CPP would need to demonstrate how industrialisation and resource reforms could be implemented without causing capital flight.
“On trade, it must navigate WTO rules, AfCFTA commitments, and bilateral investment treaties. On coalitions, it must build alliances with labour, industry, farmers, and the tech sector to broaden its base beyond traditional strongholds.
“The work is not about looking back. It is about correcting the course so that independence finally delivers prosperity,” Pastor Dr. Ayivor indicated.
He urged Ghanaians to support what he described as a new chapter for the CPP, stressing that the party remains committed to its founding ideals.
“It is time for the CPP—the original master architects of Ghanaian enlightenment. This is the change we have been waiting for, and this is the change we need. Long live Ghana and the CPP. Forward Ever, Backward Never. Kwame Nkrumah Never Dies,” Dr. Ayivor stated.
