Presidential Advisor and veteran National Democratic Congress (NDC) comrade, Goosie Tanoh, has urged the party to recommit to its founding values of probity, accountability, and participatory democracy.
He stressed these principles are essential for the NDC to deliver credible and lasting leadership for the next five decades.
Speaking on the 46th anniversary of the June 4 uprising, Tanoh warned that without a genuine internal reset, the party risks falling into the same political elitism and disregard for public trust that led to the downfall of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
“We must not waste this moment squabbling for personal advantage and tearing the state machine apart. We must build our party now,” he cautioned.
He noted that the NPP’s recent electoral defeat was a strong public rebuke of corruption, arrogance, and governance detached from the people. Tanoh insisted the NDC must avoid repeating these mistakes, especially now that Ghanaians have entrusted them with another opportunity to govern.
“The state is not to be governed for private gains but for collective upliftment. The people will only trust us if we are immersed in their needs and aspirations and if we fight alongside them for dignity and prosperity,” he said.
Tanoh called for an internal review and restructuring of the NDC’s governance structures to ensure accountability from the grassroots level up. “We have largely become an electoral machine with power concentrated at the top. Our branches are mostly dead or mere shells mobilised only during elections.”
He proposed a national consultative process leading to an ideological and constitutional reset convention over the next 18 months—a critical step, he believes, toward building a truly people-driven party.
“It is time for a new consultative process to make the NDC a vehicle that can provide our country with leadership for the next 50 years and beyond.”
Tanoh also urged the party to learn from the June 4 tradition, describing it as a powerful reminder that political legitimacy arises from service, transparency, and accountability—not just electoral victories or constitutional authority.
“Power belongs to the people; we are merely stewards. If we have not delivered justice and encouraged democratic participation, then we ought not to be surprised by sudden eruptions of chaos,” he said.
He endorsed President Mahama’s ongoing reset agenda as a positive first step but emphasized that the party must mirror this internally to avoid repeating the culture it has long criticised.
“President Mahama has taken the first step at the level of the State machine and appointees. The Party must also take the opportunity to reset now.”
Goosie Tanoh’s statement is not just a commemoration of the June 4 legacy but a bold call to action—a reminder that probity and accountability are survival strategies for political parties seeking enduring relevance.
“This is not about rhetoric. We need structural responses now.”
As the NDC looks forward, his message stands as both a warning and a roadmap: if the party holds true to its founding values, it can inspire, unite, and lead Ghana forward—not just for one term, but for generations.