Professor of Political Science and Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA), Prof. Ransford Gyampo, has welcomed the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) decision to require its presidential aspirants to sign a peace pact but has questioned the long-standing role of party elders in enforcing discipline and upholding the party’s traditional values.

The New Patriotic Party on Thursday, January 22, had all its presidential aspirants sign a peace pact in a move aimed at preventing internal divisions and ensuring a peaceful flagbearer election.

The initiative is intended to promote unity, reduce tensions and ensure that internal competition does not degenerate into open conflict or damaging public disputes.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on Saturday, January 24, Prof. Gyampo described the exercise as positive, particularly in terms of its public image and the symbolism of senior party figures engaging directly with aspirants.

“I believe that what happened and what I saw was good for the optics, seeing very seasoned, old politicians all being marshalled or being brought together to meet with aspirants and to prevail on them to sign a peace pact,” he said.

However, while commending the initiative, Prof. Gyampo raised concerns about the apparent late intervention of experienced party figures, questioning why similar efforts had not been consistently applied over the years to curb conduct he believes departs from the party’s traditions.

“I thought it was good, but I kept wondering all these experienced politicians, have they always been around?” he asked.

He criticised what he described as a shift in the internal culture of the party, arguing that the conduct of some current leaders and actors represents a radical departure from the standards set by the party’s founding and earlier generation of leaders.

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“Sometimes if I see the conduct of those who are running the party now, the conduct that radically departs from how the JB Danquahs ran the party, how the Odoi Sais, the Ala Adjeteys and the Agyenim Boatengs ran the party, I keep asking myself where these elders have always been,” Prof. Gyampo stated.

According to him, the absence or silence of party elders in the face of growing excesses has contributed to a culture in which indiscipline and what he termed “exuberant” behaviour by some party actors has gone largely unchecked.

He questioned why senior figures had not taken a more proactive role in reining in such behaviour earlier.

“Where have they always been in not reining in some of these people who show exuberance?” he queried.

While welcoming the peace pact as a step in the right direction, Prof. Gyampo stressed that lasting peace and discipline within the party would require more than symbolic gestures.

He argued that sustained engagement by party elders and a return to the values and leadership culture established by the party’s founding figures would be necessary to restore internal order and preserve the party’s image.