BY Issah Olegor
Irene Naa Torshie Addo-Lartey, former Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) and ex-MP for Tema West, has reignited political controversy within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) by openly criticizing former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, just over a year after she publicly endorsed him as the party’s presidential candidate in 2024.
Naa Torshie’s current attacks mark a dramatic turnaround from her earlier stance, when she had supported Dr Bawumia’s leadership and even lobbying to be his running mate during the 2024 campaign.
Her ambition for the vice-presidential position was ultimately bypassed in favor of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (Napo), prompting lingering resentment.
This setback has fueled her current political realignment and outspoken criticism ahead of the upcoming Presidential primaries in the party.
During her tenure as DACF Administrator under the Akufo-Addo administration, Torshie reportedly withheld over GHS 181 million intended for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to implement projects under the District Performance Assessment Tool (DPAT VI) in 2023.
The Finance Ministry, then headed by Ken Ofori-Atta, and the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, then led by Dan Kwaku Botwe, issued repeated directives for her to release the funds.
These instructions went largely unheeded, delaying crucial local development projects and drawing criticism from international donors, including the Swiss Government, which threatened to withhold additional grants for DPAT VII activities due to the previous funds’ non-transfer.
Since being excluded from the running-mate position in 2024, Irene Naa Torshie has reportedly thrown her support behind controversial NPP figure Kennedy Agyapong.
This follows a prophecy circulating within party circles claims she could be appointed as Kennedy Agyapong’s running mate should he win the NPP presidential primaries on 31st January 2026.
This alignment marks a clear departure from her previous loyalty to Dr Bawumia, whom she had endorsed publicly and praised for competence and party loyalty during the 2024 elections.
Torshie’s renewed criticisms target Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s grassroots appointment promises, particularly his pledge to distribute ten appointments per constituency.
On her recent campaign tour for Kennedy Agyapong, she provocatively asked: “Ask the one promising 10 appointments per constituency the number of jobs he created when he had power,” suggesting that the former vice president failed to deliver on commitments to party faithful.
This as a direct attack fueled by personal ambition and political bitterness rather than policy disagreement.
The former DACF Administrator’s political maneuvers recently also created internal friction.
Her supporters in Tema West have distanced themselves from her, virtually calling her action selfish.
They publicly distanced the supporters from her new political alignment, describing her decision as a “deeply personal choice driven by ambition” and warning that it contradicts collective party interests.
Party insiders note that this disavowal has sparked divisions among her aides and loyalists, highlighting tensions over strategy and alignment ahead of the 2026 primaries.
Her record at DACF continues to draw scrutiny. During her eight-year tenure, she reportedly centralized contract awards, bypassed MMDCEs and assemblies, and benefited personally from discretionary allocations.
Critics link these actions to longstanding criticisms over the management of local government funds and the previous GHS 5,400 salary for MMDCEs, which is in debt.
Torshie is in Kennedy Agyapong’s Camp to pursue ‘vice president’ dream following Bernard El-Bernard’s prophecy
Naa Torshie’s switch to the Kennedy camp was influenced by a prophetic declaration by Prophet Bernard ElBernard Nelson-Eshun who claims a woman will be sworn in as Vice President of Ghana in January 2029.
Although Prophet ElBernard did not mention names, his clues of the next Vice President possessing the number 9 and being the 9th Vice President got people pointing at Naa Torshie who is widely believed to hold a Vice Presidential ambition, particularly having been known to be interested in becoming the Running Mate of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for the 2024 elections.
In view of her Vice Presidential ambition, some key elements in the Kennedy Agyapong’s campaign team have reached out to her to switch and become his Running Mate.
