Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has called on African leaders to base electoral contests on policies rather than ballots.
Opening the African Political Parties Summit 2025 in Accra, she urged political parties across the continent to prioritise the needs of their citizens while in power. "Policies, when divorced from the pursuit of wellbeing, become empty," she said. "Our people do not ask us to perform politics for its own sake.
They deserve politics that translates into food security, decent jobs, functional schools, accessible healthcare, efficient infrastructure, security, and justice.
They expect us to focus not just on the next election, but more importantly, on the next generation." Reiterating the need to rise above narrow interests, the Vice President stressed the importance of working together, even as strong opponents, and fostering cooperation and tolerance among political parties for peace, development, and progress. "Let's adopt a long view… for the sake of policies and projects, and they must outlast our own political careers," she said.
