Political scientist Dr. Richard Amoako Baah has strongly criticized the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) recent decision to grant amnesty to its members, describing the move as unnecessary and inappropriate.
Speaking during an interview on Onua FM’s morning show monitored by Kumasimail, Dr. Amoako Baah argued that the party should prioritize offering sincere apologies to members who feel aggrieved rather than issuing a blanket amnesty.
Dr. Amoako Baah explained that the amnesty approach fails to address the root causes of dissatisfaction within the party. “Granting amnesty to all members is not the right course of action,” he said.
“What about those whom the party has wronged? How do we reconcile with them if we simply offer amnesty instead of acknowledging our mistakes?”
When probed by the host about whether the party has indeed wronged some of its members, Dr. Amoako Baah replied affirmatively, highlighting internal discontent.
“Those who chose not to vote or stayed away during elections were likely unhappy. There must be a reason they did not support the party perhaps something went wrong, and they are angry. How does the party intend to address this anger,” Dr. Baah asked rhetorically.
He further emphasized that a political party must take responsibility for its shortcomings.
“If you wrong someone, the appropriate response is an apology, not an amnesty. What the NPP is doing is misguided. Many party members speak out of frustration, and rather than embarking on an apology tour, the party undertook a ‘thank you’ tour.
“Now, instead of apologizing, they are offering amnesty. It raises questions about whether those managing the party truly understand the sentiments of their base,” he stressed.
Dr. Amoako Baah concluded by stressing the importance of accountability in politics stating “When something goes wrong within a political party, the blame lies with the party leadership, not the voters. It is the duty of the party to acknowledge mistakes and take corrective action.”
Source: www.Kumasimail/Kwadwo Owusu
