Journalist and host of Good Evening Ghana, Paul Adom-Otchere, says growing dissatisfaction with what he describes as the “arrogance of power” under the current administration is strengthening the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) position in the Ashanti Region.

Speaking at the NPP Ashanti Regional Executives Election at Jubilee Park on Saturday, August 15, Mr Adom-Otchere said voters who were previously undecided between the NPP and the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) were increasingly becoming critical of the government.

“People have seen in the last one and a half years. I think that is really what is galvanising the NPP in Ashanti,” he said.

He said the NPP had historically struggled to win over non-committed voters in the region, but claimed their experience under the current administration was now shifting their political loyalties.

“These non-committed voters have seen the arrogance of power, particularly in the Ashanti Region of the NDC,” he said.

Mr Adom-Otchere accused some government officials in the region, including Regional Ministers and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), of exercising excessive authority.

“Regional Ministers behave like they are military commanders here in Ashanti Region. Never seen before, and it's irking them, it's annoying them, and they are wondering, ‘What is this?’” he said.

Read Also: They demolish buildings and tell us they’re building 24-hour markets – Paul Adom-Otchere

He also criticised the demolition of existing structures for projects associated with the government’s 24-hour economy policy, particularly the construction of markets.

Mr Adom-Otchere questioned the need for new markets when Ghana already has established trading centres, citing Asafo, Adum, Kejetia and Makola.

“Ghana has had markets for 180 years. Asafo Market is older than Ghana's independence. Adum Market, Kejetia Market and Makola Market, they are older than Ghana's independence. We've already had markets,” he said.

He argued that the demolition of buildings, including schools and banks, to make way for such projects was contributing to public frustration.

“People's buildings have been broken down, and they break your building, whether it's a bank, whether it's a school, and they tell you, ‘We are building a 24-hour market,’” he said.

Mr Adom-Otchere said the growing dissatisfaction could have political consequences for the NDC, particularly in the Ashanti Region, which has traditionally been a stronghold of the NPP.

“People are seeing these things, and they are desperate for the NPP to return to power,” he said.