As the New Patriotic Party (NPP) prepares for its Annual National Delegates Conference, former General Secretary and leading party figure, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, has issued a passionate plea to delegates, applauding recent internal reforms while warning against the marginalization of the party’s grassroots base.

In a strongly worded letter addressed to delegates, Agyepong expressed gratitude to the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Council (NC) for adopting nearly all the constitutional reform proposals he had personally championed.

Among the endorsed changes is a modest expansion of the NPP’s electoral college to include past national executives, regional and constituency executives, Members of Parliament, MMDCEs, and other key officeholders.

While describing the move as “a significant step forward,” Agyepong was quick to criticize what he called a “gross injustice” — the continued exclusion of past polling station executives and electoral area coordinators from the electoral process.

According to him, these members form the backbone of the party’s operations and have consistently sacrificed without recognition or reward.

“The polling station is the basic unit of political activity and represents the heart and soul of the party,” Agyepong wrote.

“Expanding participation at the top while excluding those at the base undermines the very spirit of inclusiveness and unity we seek to build.”

He described the decision to include only two additional polling station executives and four electoral area delegates as tokenistic and warned that it risks aggravating existing tensions and dissatisfaction within the party’s grassroots.

Agyepong pointed out that many polling station executives feel disillusioned, with some having worked tirelessly since the inception of the party in 1992 without acknowledgment.

Beyond fairness, Agyepong argued that a more inclusive electoral college would significantly reduce vote-buying and enhance the quality of leadership selection.

“A broader base means less monetization of our internal contests and more space for ideas and vision to triumph over money and influence,” he stated.

He called on constituency executives and all party patriots to advocate for the inclusion of all past ward/polling station executives and electoral area coordinators, emphasizing that such recognition is not just about reward, but about restoring dignity to the thousands of volunteers who built the party from the ground up.

“Who determines the two extra polling station executives and the additional four electoral area delegates?” he asked. “We cannot afford any more manipulation and confusion.”