Broadcast journalist Paul Adom Otchere has suggested that National Democratic Congress (NDC) General Secretary Fiifi Kwetey’s recent reform announcements should be understood as long term political positioning rather than short term governance messaging.
Speaking on Good Evening Ghana, Adom Otchere argued that the statements carry deeper implications for the future direction of power within the NDC. He framed the January 29 press conference as an early signal of internal party realignments.
“I’ve been talking to people who listen carefully to political signals, and when 2026 comes, this is what Fiifi and the party are going to do,” he stated.
According to Adom Otchere, the announcements reflect deliberate political calculations. “They are doing things in favor of certain people, against certain people, supporting some positions and weakening others,” he said.
He described the moves not as administrative reforms but as political architecture. “This is not random communication. It’s structured. It’s planned. It’s positioning,” he added.
The journalist emphasized that such positioning shapes power dynamics long before elections arrive. “What you see today becomes the structure of tomorrow,” he noted.
Adom Otchere also suggested the timing of Kwetey’s announcement was driven by media dynamics rather than coincidence. “For the last three weeks, one side of the political conversation has dominated the media space. In politics, that matters. If your opponent controls the narrative for weeks, public attention shifts to them,” he explained.
He characterized the press conference as a deliberate attempt to rebalance national discourse. “I guess the public relations decision was that Fiifi should hold a press conference so that there is a balance of conversation, balance of internal party dialogue, balance of political focus. That is a correct public relations decision,” he said.
The Good Evening Ghana host disclosed receiving a phone call from veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt shortly after discussing Kwetey’s press conference. “My phone rang around four o’clock, and the name on it was Kwesi Pratt. He started by saying, Paul, you are doing this thing again,” Adom Otchere recounted.
He described their exchange with both humor and tension. “I called him ambassador, he told me to stop calling him ambassador, and we laughed. Then he asked why I went on TV to suggest he was behind the airport project,” he said.
Adom Otchere explained his response plainly. “I told him I spoke to people who said he was behind it. He asked me to mention names, and I said I can’t.”
The reference to airport projects relates to investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) into contracts awarded during Adom Otchere’s tenure as board chairman of Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL). He was detained in July 2025 over allegations related to a revenue assurance contract between GACL and a private firm.
According to Adom Otchere, the exchange with Pratt reflects how politics often functions through private conversations as much as public statements. “This is how power works. It’s not only on microphones and podiums. It’s in calls, relationships, trust networks, and private influence,” he stated.
During the January 29 press conference, Kwetey signaled a tough approach to compliance and accountability within the party. He announced that government appointees seeking party positions must resign at least six months before filing nomination forms.
“Before filing nomination forms, any person appointed by government must resign at least six clear months ahead,” Kwetey said.
He explained that the party’s constitution draws a clear line between full time public officers and those in non executive roles. “Chairpersons or members of boards are exempt because they are not full time employees. But those who are full time are affected,” he stated.
Kwetey emphasized the policy is meant to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure a level playing field. “Ministers, deputy ministers, managing directors, chief executives, and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) fall under this rule,” he noted.
The general secretary also unveiled a comprehensive roadmap for the party’s 2026 internal elections, calling on members to remain disciplined and ensure membership dues are paid to enable full participation in the process.
He emphasized that strong organizational structures and financial discipline are central to the party’s growth and effectiveness. “These two levels constitute the very foundation upon which the strength and growth of the party is established. We cannot afford to get that wrong,” he said.
The roadmap, approved by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) in December 2025, lays out all activities, timelines, responsibilities and supervisory structures.
The first phase involves returning registers and books from branches to the national level between January 30 and February 10. The second activity covers registration of new members and updates to the party register, scheduled from February 10 to March 30.
Authentication of registers will run from April 2 to April 30, ensuring all branch registers are accurate and verifiable. Picking of branch nomination forms is scheduled between April 10 and 16, with vetting and appeals at branch elections from May 20 to June 30.
Kwetey urged all members to stay engaged and follow timelines. “Every member has a role to play in ensuring the success of our internal elections. This roadmap is designed to uphold transparency, fairness and the democratic values of the NDC,” he said.
Earlier this month, Kwetey also strongly criticized party members calling on President John Dramani Mahama to seek a third term in office, describing the move as self serving and contrary to the party’s founding principles.
Speaking at the 44th Anniversary commemoration of the December 31 Revolution in Ada, he stressed that the NDC remains firmly committed to constitutional term limits. “One of the mantras of this party is that we will never be part of any agenda to allow a president to run for a third term. President Mahama has no such intention, and the NDC will not support it,” he stated.
