Former Abuakwa South MP, Samuel Atta Akyea, has insisted that any New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer aspirant who cannot raise the required GH¢4 million development fee has no business contesting for the presidency.
Speaking in an interview on TV3 on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, and monitored by Masemtvgh.com, Atta Akyea argued that the ability to mobilise funds is a test of an aspirant’s credibility, influence, and seriousness.
“If you are in opposition, you will raise money, so it is a sensible way to raise money,” he said. “If a man says he is credible and people should vote for him as a flagbearer, and he can’t raise GH¢4 million, that means he doesn’t count; he is not even influential. Who is telling you that you are the one going to pay the money?”
The NPP’s decision to impose a GH¢4 million “development fee” on presidential hopefuls has generated heated debate, with critics questioning whether the move undermines inclusiveness and the party’s democratic values.
Meanwhile, the National Council of Elders of the NPP has formed an ad hoc Committee to regulate the conduct of presidential aspirants, their campaign teams, and supporters ahead of the primaries.
The Committee will monitor public utterances, campaign behaviour, and petitions concerning hate speech, insults, and abusive language. This follows a meeting with aspirants on Thursday, September 11, 2025.
The NPP is expected to elect its flagbearer on January 31, 2026, as preparations intensify for the primaries.
