Kwabena Agyepong Calls for a New Political Ethic Rooted in Sacrifice, Service, and Selflessness

Story by Fada Amakye from Daily Sun online

At a commemorative event marking 78 years since the founding of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and a contender in the party’s upcoming flagbearer race,delivered a passionate address calling for a reset of the country’s political ethos.

Speaking at the Patriotic Institute within the NPP Headquarters in Accra, Mr. Agyepong urged a return to the founding principles of sacrifice, service, and selfless leadership;values he said defined the UGCC tradition and the New Patriotic Party’s early leadership.

Mr. Agyepong, who has publicly declared his ambition to lead the NPP into the next general elections, stressed the need to cultivate a new generation of leaders grounded in character and integrity.

“Democracy did not come on a silver platter,” he said. “People paid with their lives, lost businesses, and went into exile for the freedoms we take for granted today. We cannot allow political convenience to erode this legacy.”

His remarks were met with nods of agreement from party elders and guests who had gathered to honour the pioneers of the independence struggle.

Drawing from the legacy of the UGCC, Mr. Agyepong spotlighted the example of Dr. J.B. Danquah and his compatriots, who, he noted, believed in duty over privilege.

“The NPP must recover that spirit of sacrifice. We must build a political culture where everyone prepares to give up something for the sake of the whole,” he added.

He criticised the current political environment, stating that it lacks the moral backbone needed to steer the country forward. Leadership, he said, must be viewed as a call to serve and not a reward to exploit.

While acknowledging the NPP’s longstanding pledge to property owning democracy, Mr. Agyepong reminded his audience that the soul of the party lies in centrist and inclusive governance.

“The heart of politics must be the welfare of the people. That is the compass that must guide our decisions. If we fail to centre our politics around the needs of the people, then we’ve lost our way,” he said.

Touching on the challenges of public office, he warned that political power often comes with pressure to compromise on principles.

“When you’re in a position of power, people will push you to do the untold. That’s why we need leaders with spine. We need leaders who will not be swayed by greed or fear,” he declared, calling for an “all for one, one for all” posture in both party and national life.

The gathering concluded with a mood of contemplation and renewed determination.

For many in attendance, Mr. Agyepong’s address served as a timely call to action urging a return to the values that inspired the country’s struggle for freedom and the founding ideals of the New Patriotic Party.