POLITICS

Anger among NDC base over appointment of Lands Commission boss – Report

The reported appointment of Professor Anthony Owusu Ansah as Executive Secretary of Ghana’s Lands Commission has ignited a political firestorm, and for good reason.

This isn’t merely a bureaucratic reshuffle. It is a defining moment for the National Democratic Congress (NDC); a test of its commitment to integrity, accountability, and the grassroots movement that fought to restore the party to power.

Professor Owusu Ansah’s ties to the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) are neither speculative nor distant.

At the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), where he spent several years, he was widely known as a close ally of the current Rector, Professor Sammi Bonsu, an NPP loyalist who, notably, was granted a controversial two-year extension in December 2024 under the former NPP government.

Insiders at GIMPA recall a troubling era of political bias and academic suppression. Pro-NDC lecturers were marginalised.

TEIN (Tertiary Education Institutions Network) student activists were targeted.
Careers were derailed. Voices were silenced.

The environment became one where party affiliation could make or break one’s future.

But what has become of the sacred principle of vetting political appointees? Isn’t National Security or the BNI expected to scrutinise such appointments before public announcements are made? A single trip to GIMPA or a handful of interviews with former students, would have revealed a disturbing trail of unethical conduct.

Reports of awarding unearned grades to favoured students once led to him allegedly failing a vetting exercise.

Even more damning is his reputation among female students, who reportedly nicknamed him “the condom professor”—a crude but telling indication of the discomfort and suspicion that surrounded his presence on campus.

And now, this same individual is being handed control of Ghana’s state lands?

Appointing Professor Owusu Ansah to head the Lands Commission, a body already plagued by allegations of corruption and elite land grabbing, isn’t just a miscalculation. It’s a catastrophe in waiting. It’s like placing a cobra in charge of fresh eggs at a poultry farm: a guaranteed disaster wrapped in official stationery.

Even more unsettling is the reaction from the NPP. According to sources in Nima, some NPP insiders are privately celebrating the appointment. For them, it’s a quiet political victory, one of their own, rewarded by their main opponent.

For the NDC grassroots, it feels like a betrayal.

Professor Owusu Ansah’s move to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) did little to rehabilitate his image.

Former students recall his public outrage when NDC polling station executives pulled off a surprise campus victory. Others say he disparaged voters in Ayawaso West Wuogon as “shallow” for electing John Dumelo, the NDC’s candidate.

These are not the actions of a politically neutral professional. They are the hallmarks of someone whose loyalty lies elsewhere.

So, the critical question must be asked:

Does the NDC truly lack competent, ethical, and loyal individuals capable of leading such a critical agency?

The answer is a resounding no. The party is full of dedicated professionals who have served faithfully, often at great personal cost.

They deserve to be recognised and empowered, not overlooked in favour of someone whose record is stained with partisanship and alleged misconduct.

The NDC cannot afford to confuse reconciliation with capitulation. Political magnanimity should never come at the expense of principle, credibility, or the trust of the party’s base.

Revoking this appointment is not vindictive, it is corrective. It would send a clear message that loyalty matters, integrity matters, and governance must be built on trust, not political appeasement.

Anything less would signal to the rank and file that loyalty is optional—and that those who once worked against the party’s interests now stand to benefit from its victories.

In this moment, the NDC must decide: Will it honour the sacrifices of its base, or will it court the quiet approval of its rivals?

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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