Asiedu Nketia Says He Leaves NDC Stronger Than He Found It as Chairman Prepares to Step Down

Johnson Asiedu Nketia will end his tenure as National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in December with a clear assessment of his legacy: the party is in better shape than when he took over, and the retention of key national officers is proof his team delivered.

Speaking to JoyNews on Friday, November 13, Asiedu Nketia said he was particularly gratified that the party had chosen to keep experienced hands in their positions—a departure from the NDC's usual pattern of wholesale leadership turnover at congresses.

"I'm happy that even at the national level, this is about the first time that we are retaining key people in their positions. It is a recognition that this team has done what is expected of us," he said.

The endorsement he refers to is already taking shape. Incumbent General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, National Organiser Joseph Yammin and Communications Officer Godwin Ako Gunn are among those running unopposed after vetting for the party's December 19 National Delegates Congress.

A Mandate Forged in Adversity

Asiedu Nketia was elected chairman at the party's 2022 National Delegates Congress at the Accra Sports Stadium, defeating incumbent Samuel Ofosu Ampofo. Before that, he had served as General Secretary for 17 years—a tenure that made him one of the NDC's most recognisable and combative figures, earning him the nickname "General Mosquito."

He recalled the commitment he made on behalf of his team at that congress, framing the period as a battle against a government he believed would deploy every resource to retain power.

"When we were elected at the sports stadium, I gave a commitment on behalf of my team that we are in to fight a very difficult battle because we had a government that was unyielding and was prepared to use money, prepared to use the coercive forces of state, and so on," he said.

The team remained resolute, he said, guided by a conviction that determination outweighs material advantage.

"I did say that the most powerful army in the world cannot defeat people who are determined to change their circumstances for the better."

The Handover He Cares About Most

Beyond the NDC's return to government, Asiedu Nketia pointed to the physical and organisational state of the party as his central measure of success. He said he had worked to leave the party's headquarters and structures better than he inherited them.

"My satisfaction is that I'm leaving the NDC headquarters better than how I came to meet it. And that is what gives me my satisfaction," he said.

His decision not to seek re-election brings to a close more than two decades in the party's national leadership. Since 2005, Asiedu Nketia has occupied a position on the NDC's national executive committee—first as General Secretary, then as Chairman—meaning the December congress will be the first in roughly 21 years without his name on the ballot.

A Crowded Field to Succeed Him

Four candidates have filed nominations to contest the chairmanship: incumbent National Vice Chairman Sofo Azorka Awudu, former Korle Klottey MP Nii Armah Ashietey, former Local Government Minister Dr Akwasi Opong-Fosu, and former Odododiodio MP Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye. Former Chairman Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, who had initially been listed among the aspirants, has since withdrawn from the race.

The chairmanship position carries a filing fee of GH¢100,000, the highest on the party's fee schedule for the congress.

Asiedu Nketia's exit from domestic party office does not appear to signal retirement from continental politics. On November 7, he was elected inaugural Chairman of the African Political Parties Initiative (APPI) at a summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia—a role that will keep him engaged in democratic governance issues beyond Ghana's borders.

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Background Note: Asiedu Nketia's tenure as General Secretary spanned the NDC's years in opposition (2001–2009), its two terms in government under John Atta Mills and John Mahama (2009–2017), and its return to opposition after the 2016 election. His election as Chairman in 2022 came at a low point for the party, which had suffered a second consecutive electoral defeat in 2020. The NDC's return to power in the 2024 elections under President Mahama forms the political backdrop to his claim of a legacy fulfilled.