Sammy Crabbe: NPP needs institutional funding, not ‘strongmen’
New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Chairman aspirant Sammy Crabbe says the party needs a chairman with the experience to strengthen its systems and structures rather than one whose main strength is the ability to provide money.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, Mr Crabbe said the NPP’s 2024 electoral defeat exposed systemic weaknesses that require institutional solutions, including sustainable funding and stronger party structures.
He said the party must move away from depending on individuals who can personally finance its activities.
“We don’t have to depend on strongmen. We have to bring in people who know how to, not just ideas, but know exactly how to and have the background and experience and deliver it for people to see that they know how to build funding models that are more sustainable,” he said.
Mr Crabbe said the NPP currently relies heavily on what he described as “episodic funding”, where resources become available at particular periods rather than through a consistent financial system.
He argued that the party should develop sustainable sources of revenue that can provide regular funding for its structures at the national, regional and constituency levels.
“We need to create an asset, institutionalized funding in this party so that we have cash flows instead of episodic funding,” he said.
According to him, the NPP could leverage its brand and establish ventures capable of generating revenue for the party, ensuring that constituency, electoral area and regional executives have resources to operate throughout the electoral cycle.
Mr Crabbe said reliance on individual financiers creates vulnerabilities for the party.
“What if the person goes and dies?” he asked, stressing that the NPP’s financial sustainability should not depend on the continued availability of particular individuals.
He said his decision to contest the national chairmanship was informed by his experience working at the constituency, regional and national levels, as well as his corporate and educational background.
“I’m coming in because I’ve identified what the problems really, really are. And I think I have what it takes, the political party management experience, the educational background, the corporate business experience and everything to deal with those issues,” he said.
Mr Crabbe said the NPP therefore needs leadership focused on building institutions that can function sustainably rather than relying on personalities and their financial capacity.
