The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) says the party is under growing pressure from grassroots supporters demanding jobs and political appointments one year after President John Dramani Mahama returned to office.
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday (8 December) the chairman said party activists who invested their “money, resources and everything” during the 2024 campaign expect to be compensated now that the NDC controls government.
“When you work for somebody and the person wins power, you have to compensate the person,” he said, adding that the expectations have intensified in the Ashanti Region, traditionally an NPP stronghold but where the NDC posted its strongest showing to date.
“Pressure on me”
He noted that the party achieved 34% of the presidential vote in the region in the 2024 national elections and secured seven parliamentary seats, a development that has broadened internal demands for recognition.
According to him, President Mahama has already made significant inroads in addressing regional concerns, with about 75 national appointments reportedly going to individuals from the Ashanti Region.
However, he acknowledged the region’s size and longstanding grievances mean that the efforts have not fully eased tensions.
“There is a lot of pressure on me,” he said. “Everybody is demanding.”
“You know the region is big. Though it is not enough, the grassroots are calling for more and everybody needs his own share,” he said.
He urged NDC branch leaders and supporters to remain patient as the government continues to fill key roles.
“Used and dumped”
The Ashanti Regional NDC Chairman’s frustration appears to support the opposition New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) view that the grassroots have been heavily relied upon during elections but often neglected afterward.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has criticised the Mahama administration for failing to deliver on job creation and economic transformation.
In a lengthy post on social media marking one year since Mahama’s inauguration, Afenyo-Markin said the youth who actively campaigned for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) now face unemployment and limited opportunities, while party elites benefit from government appointments and foreign postings.
“The youth who formed the vanguard of political campaigns have been abandoned,” he wrote. “They face the same unemployment and hopelessness as before, while party elites benefit from appointments and foreign missions.”
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