The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential primary race for 2028 moved a step forward on Tuesday, September 23, as two leading contenders — former Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and former Assin Central MP Kennedy Ohene Agyapong — completed their vetting and gave their impressions of the process.
Dr. Bawumia, who was the first to emerge from the committee room at the party’s headquarters in Accra, described his session as thorough but fair. He told journalists that the panel put him through an exhaustive round of questioning, but he was confident in his responses.
“They’ve asked many questions, and I have answered those questions, so I’m very satisfied with my vetting, and I pray that everything is okay. I hope the committee is as satisfied as I am,” the former Vice-President said.
He added that the exercise was in line with the standards expected of a contest to lead the governing party into a general election, stressing that the rigour of the process reflected the seriousness of the office being contested.
Dr. Bawumia is among five aspirants being screened by the party’s vetting committee, which began its work on Monday.
The others include Mr. Agyapong, Dr. Bryan Acheampong, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, and Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong.
When it was his turn, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong emerged from his session equally upbeat and exuded confidence about his prospects. He said the committee engaged him constructively, focusing on his vision for Ghana and his motivation to seek the presidency.
“I was prepared. I believe I answered all the questions and they know I’m ready to be president of this country,” he declared. According to him, the vetting committee “really wanted to know why I want to be president and my vision for the country, as well as the party. So I enumerated a couple of points on how I’m going to address some problems.”
The outspoken businessman-politician described the atmosphere during the vetting as cordial, adding that the questions were “tangible and reasonable” rather than antagonistic.
Mr. Agyapong also used the opportunity to restate his long-held belief in the Asian development model as the path to Ghana’s economic transformation.
He cited South Korea, India, and Dubai as examples of countries that had combined strong state support with private sector partnerships to build global economic giants such as Daewoo, Hyundai, and Samsung.
He explained that under this model, governments not only provided targeted loans to potential entrepreneurs but also paid directly for raw materials and equipment until the businesses were able to stand on their own.
“Now, what they do is that the government partners with the individual, the private sector. So they will wean themselves off when you finish paying the loan. Then it becomes your business,” he said.
In his view, Ghana must replicate this strategy to overcome the crippling lack of capital that hampers local businesses. “In business, the most difficult part is the capital. So if the government supports you to get the capital and you run it well, you become a millionaire,” he argued.
With the vetting of Dr. Bawumia and Mr. Agyapong completed, attention now shifts to the other aspirants as the NPP presses forward with preparations for a crucial presidential primary that could shape the party’s electoral fortunes in 2028.
