Offinso North NDC Chairman Sparks Debate: Party Loyalists Should Top Job Recruitment Lists
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chairman for Offinso North, Hon. J. K. Ameyaw, has ignited controversy by calling for party faithful to be prioritized in public sector job recruitments, arguing that loyal supporters deserve precedence after years of dedication to the party’s electoral victories.
The remarks, made during a constituency meeting in Kukuom on Tuesday, underscore growing tensions within the ruling NDC over patronage and meritocracy nine months into the Mahama administration.
” NDC faithful must be prioritized in job recruitments ahead of others,”
Ameyaw declared to applause from over 200 attendees, framing it as a reward for the “sacrifices” of grassroots members who campaigned tirelessly in the 2024 elections that secured the party’s landslide triumph.
“Our people shed sweat, blood, and resources for this government; it’s only fair they reap the benefits first before outsiders,”
he added, referencing delays in promised youth employment under the 24-hour economy initiative.
Ameyaw, a longtime NDC stalwart and former assembly member in the Ashanti Region stronghold, highlighted the constituency’s pivotal role in flipping the area blue in 2024, crediting door-to-door mobilization for John Dramani Mahama’s win.
His comments echo sentiments from other NDC branches, including Bono East, where similar calls for “party first” hiring have surfaced amid a 14.7% youth unemployment rate. Critics, including NPP firebrand Kennedy Agyapong, swiftly condemned it on X as “tribalism in disguise,” tweeting, “This is how they reward loyalty—with jobs stolen from qualified Ghanaians. NPP will expose this rot.”
The statement arrives as the government rolls out recruitment drives for 10,000 positions in agriculture and digital sectors, with the Public Services Commission facing backlash for opaque processes.
NDC insiders defend Ameyaw’s stance as motivational rhetoric, aligning with Mahama’s August pledge to “empower our base,” but opposition voices warn it risks alienating non-partisan youth and fueling corruption probes by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
As Offinso North—a key swing constituency in the NPP heartland—gears up for internal primaries, Ameyaw’s bold advocacy could galvanize supporters but test the NDC’s unity narrative under pressure from economic headwinds.
