Academia slipping away from NPP – John Boadu raises red flag over youth and intellectual drift

Former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, has warned that the party is steadily losing its influence within academia and among the country’s youth — two constituencies he says will be decisive for the party’s future.

Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on Tuesday, November 11, Mr. Boadu said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has made significant inroads on university campuses and among intellectuals, a development he believes the NPP has neglected for too long.

“You can now see that academia, for instance, looks like the NDC is having a lot of them as we speak now,” he noted.

According to him, many academics are not seeking appointments or material benefits from the party, but rather recognition, respect, and meaningful engagement.

“Many of these people don’t need so much. It’s not about an appointment. Many of them just need recognition. Many of them need that belonging touch of the party,” Mr. Boadu explained.
“They want to be seen as the ones reviewing your programmes and policies.”

Youth drifting as well

Mr. Boadu further linked the NPP’s struggle with academia to its broader disconnect with young people, warning that by the 2028 elections, voters aged 18 to 40 will constitute about 60% of the electorate.

“I know how to deal with these young guys selling our messages… if we make our message as soft as they want, we’ll be able to get to them,” he said.

He stressed that the NPP must engage young people on their own turf — online spaces, entertainment circles, and youth-driven platforms — instead of relying solely on traditional political mobilisation.

“The solution is to get into their arena and their interests and deal with them,” he said.

When asked whether this meant bringing celebrities like Shatta Wale into NPP campaigns, he responded, “If possible, why not?” but clarified that his strategy goes beyond celebrity involvement.

“Not necessarily hard campaigning, but passing through our messages… It is not even necessary to have them at your rallies. You need to meet them where they are.”

Recognition and relevance, not patronage

Mr. Boadu insisted that the NPP must nurture young people and intellectuals, not merely invite them to rallies, if it wants to regain influence and stay competitive.

For him, the party’s path to revival lies in authentically engaging both the youth demographic and the intellectual space — by offering relevance, recognition, and belonging.