By Daniel Bampoe
Dr. Mary Awusi, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Authority and a vocal member of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), has cautioned party faithful to shift away from overreliance on populist slogans and aggression, urging a more strategic and disciplined approach as the 2028 general elections loom.
Speaking in an interview with TV XYZ, Dr. Awusi delivered a frank message to the party’s grassroots supporters, particularly those who have taken to chants like “choboeeee”—a rallying cry often heard at NDC rallies and demonstrations—as a substitute for meaningful political engagement.
“Let us not be deceived. Violence and choboeeee alone cannot win us the elections,” she said, stressing that electoral victories are achieved through planning, mobilisation, and a clear, consistent message that resonates with Ghanaians.
“We must organise, we must strategise, and we must focus on delivering our message with clarity and purpose.”
Her remarks come amid rising internal tensions within the NDC following the controversial appointment of Rosemond Obeng, a former aide to ex-NPP flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
The decision has sparked widespread debate and discontent among sections of the party’s grassroots, with some accusing the leadership of betrayal and ideological compromise.
Awusi used the opportunity to caution against the kind of political entitlement and infighting that, she believes, could derail the NDC’s electoral fortunes.
“We cannot afford to be distracted by internal wrangling. It weakens our front and hands our opponents an advantage,” she added.
She further advised supporters to focus their energies on building strong local support structures, empowering community-based party wings, and actively engaging in voter education and policy promotion, particularly in the lead-up to 2028, when the NDC hopes to maintain its political dominance after reclaiming power in 2024.
Mary Awusi’s call for discipline and strategy echoes a growing concern within political circles that Ghanaian parties—across the board—risk alienating the electorate if they rely more on populist appeals and less on substantive policies.
The NDC, under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, returned to power in the 2024 general elections after eight years in opposition.
However, analysts say the party’s grip on power remains fragile, with economic pressures, youth unemployment, and internal discontent among some of its loyal bases posing real political risks.
She concluded with a reminder: “Politics is not won on slogans alone. It is won on message, unity, and a willingness to work. Let’s rise above emotions and position the NDC as the party of solutions, not just slogans.”
Grassroots Fight
Already, discontent is boiling over within the ranks of the ruling NDC, as grassroots members and foot soldiers threaten to take to the streets in protest over what they describe as a betrayal of party loyalty and ideals by President John Dramani Mahama.
At the heart of the storm is the appointment of Rosemond Obeng, a former outspoken supporter of NPP’s Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, as a Senior Presidential Staffer in the Mahama-led administration.
The decision has triggered fiery backlash from the Remember the Grassroot Movement (RGM), a coalition of long-serving NDC activists and foot soldiers who feel sidelined, disrespected, and replaced by political opportunists.
In a blistering press statement dated July 6, 2025, the RGM described the move as “madness” and “a direct spit in the faces” of loyal party supporters who endured arrests, threats, and poverty in defense of the NDC during its years in opposition.
“This is not politics. This is MADNESS! How can a man we defended with our last breath now appoint a known Bawumia bootlicker into such a sensitive role?” the statement fumed.
The group didn’t mince words in accusing President Mahama of turning the NDC into a ‘business association’, designed to reward cronies and rebrand the party in his own image—at the cost of the party’s founding principles: social justice, probity, and accountability.
The Appointee at the Center
Rosemond Obeng, known in media and political circles as a former social media influencer for Bawumia’s campaign during the 2020 and 2024 elections, has raised eyebrows across party lines following her shock appointment.
Her sudden elevation to high office within a Mahama-led government has been interpreted by many as a slap in the face of NDC loyalists who remained committed during the party’s most difficult times.
Though her defenders argue that her inclusion reflects Mahama’s “big tent” strategy of building a broader, more inclusive government, NDC hardliners say the cost of such political rebranding is the erosion of the party’s grassroots base.
Threats of Action: “Seven Days or the Streets Will Speak”
The RGM has given President Mahama a seven-day ultimatum to reverse what they describe as “useless appointments” and roll out a clear roadmap for rewarding “true comrades.”
“If by 7 days this betrayal is not reversed, we will MARCH. We will OCCUPY. We will LIGHT CAR TYRES across every regional capital,” the group declared, threatening civil unrest if their concerns are ignored.
They insist the political elite in the NDC have become disconnected from the rank-and-file and warned that no amount of PR spin or “borrowed grammar” would pacify the storm if it erupts.
“We have clapped for too long while betrayal dances. It is now our time to drum—and our rhythm will be chaos if you force our hands,” the statement warned ominously.
Cadres and Founding Family Members Also Left Out
Beyond Obeng’s appointment, the group is also seething over the exclusion of key party veterans and founding family members from major appointments.
Citing the marginalization of a daughter of party founder Jerry John Rawlings and a brother of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, the RGM accused Mahama of sidelining those who symbolize the NDC’s ideological legacy.
“How can just one daughter of our founder and one brother of JEAM be left out in the comity of appointments?” a follow-up commentary read. “
The lumpen elements are being propped up as a false signal of inclusiveness.”
