Enock Nyarko, NPP parliamentary candidate for Jaman North
Enock Nyarko, the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) defeated parliamentary candidate for the Jaman North constituency in the Bono Region in the recently concluded 2024 elections, is urging the party’s youth to step up and assume leadership roles at the national level in the upcoming NPP internal elections.
In an interview with the media, Nyarko also sharply criticised some past NPP leaders for neglecting development in key areas, which he believes contributed to the party’s disappointing performance in the 2024 general elections.
Enock Nyarko emphasised the need for fresh perspectives and energy within the party’s leadership.
“Politics today is about the youth—those who have the zeal, capacity, and efficiency to deliver. By offering leadership opportunities to young, dedicated members and prioritizing the party’s interests, we can mobilize more votes for the NPP to win the 2028 general elections,” he stated.
However, Nyarko did not shy away from addressing the NPP’s shortcomings in the lead-up to the 2024 elections. “The NPP committed a lot of mistakes that led to the embarrassing defeat,” he admitted.
While acknowledging the developmental projects initiated by former President Akufo-Addo and Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the former parliamentary candidate argued that leadership problems ultimately undermined the party’s message.
“Ghanaians felt the NPP was taking them for granted,” he asserted.
Nyarko cited his own experience in Jaman North as an example of this neglect.
He claimed that requests for network solar poles for communities within the constituency were repeatedly denied by government ministers. Furthermore, he pointed to the long delay in completing the Sampa-Berekum road, despite a sod-cutting ceremony.
He believes the last-minute attempt to address the road issue just before the 2024 elections angered voters and contributed to the NDC’s victory in the constituency.
“If all these needs of the constituency had been addressed, I could have won the parliamentary seat for the NPP in 2024,” Nyarko asserted.
The defeated candidate concluded his interview by appealing to NPP leaders and key figures to exercise caution in their public comments and speeches, emphasizing the importance of unity and a shared vision for the party’s future.