Former Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Akwasi Oppong-Fosu will formally declare his bid for the National Chairmanship of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
The declaration will take place at the Coconut Groove Regency Hotel at Ridge in Accra, under the campaign theme “Restoration, Renewal and Resetting.”
The event is expected to provide Mr Oppong-Fosu with an opportunity to outline his vision for the party and present his proposed reforms ahead of the NDC’s next electoral cycle.
His bid comes with a public-service record spanning more than four decades, particularly in local governance, decentralisation, public administration, Parliament and national policymaking.
Mr Oppong-Fosu began his career in Ghana’s local government system and served as District Chief Executive for Ahafo Ano North District before rising through the decentralisation and local government administration structure.
He subsequently served as Head of the Local Government Service, where he was involved in efforts to strengthen local government administration, institutional performance and decentralised governance.
He later entered Parliament as Member of Parliament for Amenfi East, serving from 2013 to 2017.
During the John Mahama first administration, he occupied a number of senior government positions, including Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Minister responsible for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, and Minister of State responsible for Development Authorities.
His public-service experience also extends to international local-government institutions.
He has served as President of the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG-Africa), Vice President of United Cities and Local Governments and Chairman of the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific Local Government Platform. He also served on the United Nations Advisory Committee on Local Authorities.
In 2025, Mr Oppong-Fosu was appointed Chairman of the Board of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), further extending his public-sector leadership experience into investment promotion and economic development.
Academically, he holds a PhD in Governance and Leadership from the European International University in Paris; an MSc in Public Policy and Management from SOAS, University of London; a Postgraduate Certificate in Public Administration from GIMPA; and a BSc in Chemistry and Zoology from the University of Ghana.
He has also completed executive leadership programmes at Harvard Kennedy School in the United States, the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom, and CASIN in Geneva, Switzerland.
Restoration, Renewal and Resetting
Ahead of Thursday’s declaration, Mr Oppong-Fosu has begun engaging party structures and stakeholders as he seeks support for his chairmanship bid.
In one such engagement, he met NDC regional and party leaders in the Western Region, signalling an effort to build support across the party’s grassroots and organisational structures.
He has also been outlining his thinking on the direction of the NDC, arguing for a stronger institutional approach to party administration.
His proposed agenda is built around Restoration, Renewal and Resetting, with emphasis on returning the party to its founding principles while strengthening its structures and internal systems.
Mr Oppong-Fosu has said he wants to move the NDC away from what he describes as personality-driven politics towards a system-based approach in which institutions, rather than individuals, determine the exercise of power, authority and resources.
He has also linked his political vision to the NDC’s traditional principles of probity, accountability and social justice.
The formal declaration on Thursday is therefore expected to set out more clearly his proposed reforms, leadership philosophy and plans for the party.
With his background in decentralisation, grassroots administration, national politics and international local-government leadership, Mr Oppong Fosu enters the contest with a profile built largely around public administration and institutional governance.
His declaration will mark a significant step in the emerging contest for the NDC National Chairmanship as aspirants seek to present their respective visions for the party’s future.
By: Christian Kpesese
