NDC’s Reset Promise: Fifi Kwetey’s Call for Internal Reform and an End to Political Hypocrisy

In a compelling and self-critical address, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, General Secretary of Ghana’s National Democratic Congress (NDC), has issued a profound challenge to his own party. Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, Kwetey asserted that the NDC’s central campaign promise to “reset” Ghana cannot succeed if the party itself continues with “business as usual.” His message transcends typical political rhetoric, framing national transformation as an obligation that must first be fulfilled within the party’s own ranks. This analysis explores the depth of Kwetey’s argument, its implications for Ghanaian politics, and the practical pathways he suggests for genuine change.

Introduction: The Reset Must Start From Within

The concept of a national “reset” is a powerful political slogan, promising to correct past wrongs and chart a new course. However, Fifi Kwetey positions this reset not as a external critique of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) alone, but as an internal imperative for the opposition NDC. His core thesis is that credibility for national change is earned through demonstrated personal and institutional integrity. For the NDC to convincingly offer a new direction for Ghana, it must first dismantle the culture of hypocrisy it accuses its opponents of perpetuating. This article will deconstruct Kwetey’s statement, examining its philosophical underpinnings, political strategy, and feasibility within Ghana’s democratic landscape.

Key Points: Kwetey’s Central Arguments

Fifi Kwetey’s interview presented several interconnected, non-negotiable points for the NDC’s future:

• The Primacy of Internal Reform: National reset is impossible without a concurrent party reset; “business as usual” must end within the NDC.
• Rejection of Hypocrisy: The party cannot credibly condemn actions in the NPP that it replicates itself. Consistency between critique and conduct is essential.
• Values Over Ambition: Pursuing these reforms may threaten individual political careers, but is framed as a necessary sacrifice for principle.
• Reclaiming Party Ideals: The call is rooted in the NDC’s own stated values, particularly the anthem’s injunction to “place Ghana first.”
• Beyond Oppositionalism: The reset is not merely about painting the NPP as “bad” and the NDC as “good,” but about acknowledging the NDC’s own imperfections and striving for excellence.
• Building for Future Leadership: A reformed party is the only sustainable factory for producing leaders capable of delivering the governance Ghanaians deserve.
• Accountability and Expectation: With the privilege of promising change comes the heavier burden of accountability; “to whom much is given, much is expected.”
• Inter-Generational Duty: The party owes it to Ghana’s youth to model a different, more principled form of politics.

Background: Context of the Statement

Political Climate and the “Reset” Narrative

The NDC, as Ghana’s main opposition party, has consistently campaigned on a platform of rescuing Ghana from what it describes as the NPP’s mismanagement, economic hardship, and democratic backsliding. The term “reset” has become a key part of this narrative, suggesting a return to foundational principles and a correction of current trajectories. This messaging is particularly potent amid economic challenges and public discontent.

Fifi Kwetey: The Messenger

Fifi Fiavi Kwetey is a long-serving, influential figure in the NDC. His roles have spanned General Secretary, Minister of State, and Member of Parliament. His decision to make such an internally critical statement is significant. It is not a fringe opinion but comes from the heart of the party’s machinery, suggesting a genuine internal debate about strategy, identity, and ethical direction ahead of future elections.

The Platform: Joy News PM Express

The interview on a prominent, widely watched current affairs program signals an intent to reach both the party faithful and the broader, discerning Ghanaian public. It moves the conversation from internal party corridors to the national stage, inviting public scrutiny of the NDC’s self-proclaimed moral authority.

Analysis: Deconstructing the Call for a Party Reset

Kwetey’s statement operates on multiple levels: ethical, strategic, and philosophical.

The Ethics of Consistency: Ending the Hypocrisy Cycle

The most powerful element of Kwetey’s argument is his focus on political hypocrisy. He identifies a pervasive problem in democratic discourse: opposition parties often condemn practices they themselves engaged in when in power. This erodes public trust in the entire political class. By stating, “You can’t simply be attacking your opponent when you were doing exactly the same thing as your opponent,” Kwetey is advocating for a politics of principle over convenience. This is a direct challenge to the “turn” mentality in Ghanaian politics, where the party in opposition becomes the critic of the very practices it employed. The ethical demand is for a universal standard of conduct, not a partisan one.

The Strategic Imperative of Credibility

Strategically, Kwetey understands that electoral credibility is the NDC’s most valuable asset. A party perceived as no different from its rival on issues of probity, accountability, and self-interest will struggle to motivate voters. The “reset” promise is a value proposition. If the NDC cannot demonstrate that it has internally reset—by holding its own members accountable, promoting transparency in its primaries, and eschewing divisive rhetoric—then the national reset promise rings hollow. He is essentially arguing that the party’s brand must be rebuilt on integrity before it can sell a national product.

Reclaiming Foundational Ideals

Kwetey cleverly anchors his reformist call in the NDC’s own symbolic language: the party anthem. By referencing the line about placing Ghana first, he reframes internal reform as an act of fidelity to the party’s soul, not a betrayal. This is a masterful rhetorical move that seeks to neutralize internal resistance. Those opposing reform would, by his logic, be opposing the party’s own foundational values. It positions his stance as the authentic, orthodox NDC position.

Beyond “NPP Bad, NDC Good”

He explicitly rejects a simplistic binary. “NPP is bad. But it doesn’t mean NDC is perfect.” This admission is politically risky but intellectually honest. It acknowledges the electorate’s nuanced frustration with the political class as a whole. It suggests the NDC’s campaign should be about offering a *better standard* of governance, not just a different team. This aligns with growing civil society and youth demands for issue-based, rather than personality or ethnic-based, politics.

The Burden of Expectation and Intergenerational Justice

Kwetey elevates the discussion to a moral plane with his invocation of “to whom much is given, much is expected.” The NDC, as a party with a historical mandate and a platform of change, bears a heavier burden. Furthermore, he directly links this to intergenerational equity. The youth, who will bear the consequences of today’s political choices, deserve leaders and a political culture that prioritizes long-term national building over short-term partisan gain. This frames the internal reset as a debt owed to future Ghanaians.

Practical Advice: Pathways to an Internal NDC Reset

If the NDC were to take Kwetey’s call seriously, what concrete steps could constitute an internal reset? The principles must translate into practices.

1. Transparent and Accountable Internal Primaries

The most visible test will be the conduct of future parliamentary and presidential primaries. This requires:

• Clear, enforceable codes of conduct against vote-buying, intimidation, and character assassination.
• Independent internal election committees with credibility to adjudicate disputes fairly.
• Financial transparency in campaign financing for internal contests to reduce the influence of money.

2. Institutionalizing a Culture of Integrity

Moving beyond slogans requires systems:

• Formal Whistleblower Protections: Creating safe channels for party members to report corruption or unethical behavior without fear of reprisal.
• Regular “Values Audits”: Periodic reviews, perhaps with external civil society observers, of party practices against its stated ideals.
• Mandatory Training: On conflict of interest, ethical leadership, and the party’s constitution and values for all aspiring candidates and officials.

3. Consistent and Principled Public Critique

The party’s communication strategy must align with its internal reset:

• Issue-Based Criticism: Focusing critiques on specific policies, records, and outcomes rather than personal attacks or inflammatory rhetoric.
• Acknowledging Past Errors: When the NDC was in power, it should be willing to critically assess its own record where it fell short, building trust through intellectual honesty.
• Unifying Language: Actively discouraging speech that divides the nation along ethnic, religious, or regional lines, even when politically convenient.

4. Leadership Selection Based on Character and Competence

The ultimate test is the caliber of leaders produced. This means:

• Prioritizing Track Record: Elevating candidates with demonstrable records of public service, integrity, and developmental impact over those with merely political clout or financial capacity.
• Grooming for Governance: Investing in substantive policy institutes and training programs for potential office-holders, focusing on economics, governance, and public administration.
• Zero Tolerance for Corruption: A clear, public, and enforced stance that any member found guilty of corruption or serious misconduct will be expelled and denied party support.

FAQ: Addressing Common Questions

Q1: Is this just internal NDC politics, or does it matter for ordinary Ghanaians?

A: It matters immensely. A credible opposition is essential for a healthy democracy. If the main opposition party holds itself to a higher standard, it raises the overall bar for political conduct in Ghana. It gives voters a clear, trustworthy alternative and strengthens institutions by promoting leaders committed to systemic integrity, not just partisan victory.

Q2: Isn’t this politically naive? Won’t these reforms weaken the NDC electorally?

A: Kwetey acknowledges the risk (“at the cost of my political ambition”). The short-term cost of enforcing discipline and rejecting dubious populism can be high. However, the long-term strategy is to build an unassailable moral high ground and a broad coalition of disillusioned voters, youth, and civil society who are tired of the status quo. The bet is that sustainable credibility wins more enduring support than short-term transactional politics.

Q3: How is this different from previous calls for reform in political parties?

A: The difference lies in the source (a top national executive), the framing (as a non-negotiable prerequisite for the national reset promise), and the explicit linkage to the party’s own anthem and foundational values. It is less a general plea and more a specific, logical ultimatum: you cannot sell a product (national reset) if your factory (the party) is producing defective goods (hypocrisy).

Q4: What are the biggest obstacles to this internal reset?

A: Key obstacles include:

• Entrenched Interest Groups: Those who benefit from the current system of patronage, opaque financing, and “winner-takes-all” politics will resist.
• Cultural Norms: Deep-seated norms of political loyalty that discourage criticism of one’s own side.
• Short-Term Electoral Calculus: The pressure to win the next election by any means necessary can overwhelm long-term institutional building.
• Lack of Enforcement Mechanisms: Even with good rules, the will to enforce them impartially against powerful figures is often absent.

Conclusion: A Defining Moment for Principle

Fifi Kwetey’s intervention is a rare and significant moment of introspection in Ghana’s often boisterous political theatre. He is not merely critiquing the NPP; he is holding up a mirror to the NDC and, by extension, to the entire political class. His argument is that transformative national change is impossible without transformative personal and institutional change. The “reset” is therefore not a policy document to be implemented after an election victory, but a continuous process of self-purification that must begin now.

The viability of his vision depends on whether his words resonate with the party’s rank-and-file, its influential financiers, and its aspiring leaders. Can the NDC overcome the gravitational pull of “business as usual”? The answer will define not only the party’s future but also the quality of choices available to Ghanaian voters. Kwetey has staked his political future on the belief that Ghanaians, especially the youth, are ready to support a politics of conviction over convenience. His call is a challenge to all political actors: to match their critique of opponents with impeccable conduct of their own. In doing so, he has reframed the 2024 election and beyond from a simple contest of power into a potential referendum on political integrity itself.