The Ghana Muslim Forum for Peace and Unity has fired back at Reverend Isaac Owusu Bempah over his public opposition to the political ambitions of New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

The Forum has argued that no individual has the power to determine who will become President of Ghana, insisting that political leadership ultimately rests with God and the will of the people.

In a strongly worded statement, the group said Rev. Owusu Bempah’s reported threat against Dr Bawumia was “hollow” and had no power to alter what God may have ordained.

‘You cannot stop what God has ordained’

The Muslim Forum based its position on passages from both the Holy Qur’an and the Bible.

It cited Qur’an 3:26, which speaks about God granting and taking away sovereignty, as well as Psalm 75:6-7 and Daniel 2:21, which refer to God raising and removing rulers.

The Forum argued that these scriptures demonstrate that Rev. Owusu Bempah cannot determine whether Dr Bawumia will become President.

“If God has destined that Dr Bawumia will be President, Rev Owusu Bempah cannot stop it. If God has destined that he will not be President, Rev Owusu Bempah cannot make it happen either,” the group stated.

Forum describes Bempah’s position as dangerous

The group further criticised what it described as an attempt to position the pastor as a gatekeeper of Ghana’s presidency.

According to the Forum, political leadership should not be reduced to religious threats or personal declarations, particularly in a country that prides itself on religious tolerance and peaceful political competition.

It warned against introducing religious bigotry into Ghana’s political discourse.

Bempah’s opposition to Bawumia

The controversy follows earlier comments by Rev. Owusu Bempah in which he openly declared his opposition to Dr Bawumia’s political ambitions.

According to reports, the pastor said he would not sit back and allow Bawumia to win political power, while also warning that he would curse anyone who voted for the NPP.

He reportedly linked his stance to grievances he has with the NPP.

The comments have since triggered reactions from individuals and groups sympathetic to Dr Bawumia.

Pro-Bawumia group also fires back

The Ghana Muslim Forum’s intervention is not the only response to Rev. Owusu Bempah.

A group calling itself the Action Movement for Bawumia has also accused the pastor of engaging in what it described as “psychological and pulpit blackmail” against the NPP flagbearer.

The group has urged him to stop his repeated attacks on Dr Bawumia, warning that his comments could have implications for Ghana’s religious and political harmony.

Meanwhile, the NPP Ashanti Regional Youth Wing has reportedly petitioned security authorities over allegations made by Rev. Owusu Bempah concerning Dr Nana Ayew Afriye and alleged plans to attack him and his church.

The youth wing has denied the allegations and described them as false and without foundation.

Religious tolerance becomes a major concern

The Ghana Muslim Forum has urged both Christians and Muslims to reject attempts to inject religious hostility into Ghana’s politics.

The group stressed that Ghana’s democratic system allows citizens to support or oppose political candidates freely, but such disagreements should not threaten the country’s longstanding religious coexistence.

Its intervention adds another dimension to the growing controversy surrounding Rev. Owusu Bempah’s comments about Dr Bawumia.

Bawumia’s 2028 ambition

Dr Bawumia is already positioning himself for the 2028 presidential election after securing the NPP’s presidential nomination.

His political journey has consequently become a major subject of public debate, with supporters defending his candidacy while opponents question his prospects of defeating the governing National Democratic Congress.

The latest religious controversy has now added another layer to the political conversation.

For the Ghana Muslim Forum, however, the matter is ultimately bigger than partisan politics.

Its position is that no pastor, politician or individual can single-handedly determine Ghana’s next President.

If God has ordained Dr Bawumia for the presidency, the Forum insists, no individual can stop it.

Former Education Minister and Bosomtwe MP, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, has expressed concern over Ghana’s education system following the release of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results.

Dr Adutwum has argued that politicians themselves sometimes worsen the country’s education challenges by turning examination results into partisan political weapons rather than focusing on solutions.

“We are our own worst enemies,” he said, criticising the tendency of politicians to attribute good or bad examination results to whichever political party is in power.

‘Politicians are our own worst enemies’

According to Dr Adutwum, Ghana’s political class needs to approach education with greater responsibility.

He recalled how strong examination performances in previous years were sometimes dismissed by political opponents as evidence of examination malpractice, rather than being celebrated as achievements for the country.

His argument is that such partisan interpretations ultimately do little to improve learning outcomes.

Instead, he believes politicians should work together to identify weaknesses in the education system and provide interventions that can help students perform better.

Poor results point to deeper problems

Dr Adutwum has described the poor performance in some core subjects as a serious national concern.

He pointed particularly to Mathematics and English Language, arguing that weaknesses in these subjects can have serious consequences for students seeking admission to tertiary institutions.

In his assessment, the problem should not be discovered only after students have written their final examinations.

The education system, he argues, must identify struggling students much earlier and provide targeted support before they reach the WASSCE stage.

‘You don’t wait till WASSCE’

The former Education Minister has advocated a stronger system of continuous assessment and academic monitoring.

He believes schools should be able to identify students who are consistently struggling with particular subjects and intervene while they are still in school.

Dr Adutwum has also proposed a transcript system that would provide a cumulative record of students’ academic performance throughout their secondary education.

Such a system, he argues, would allow teachers and schools to identify learning gaps early rather than waiting for a single final examination to determine a student’s future.

Calls for resits and stronger teacher support

Dr Adutwum has further advocated opportunities for students to retake subjects they fail, similar to arrangements in tertiary institutions.

He believes students who repeatedly struggle with Mathematics, English or other subjects should receive additional support and opportunities to improve before leaving the education system.

He has also called for stronger teacher professional development, particularly following concerns about students using social media expressions and informal language in formal examination scripts.

According to him, teachers should be equipped to identify such weaknesses during classroom assessments and guide students before they sit external examinations.

A political lesson from the results

For Dr Adutwum, the debate surrounding the WASSCE results should go beyond blaming one government or another.

His “we are our own worst enemies” argument is essentially a call for politicians to stop using education outcomes primarily as ammunition against their opponents.

Instead, he wants the country to focus on what the results reveal about teaching, learning, assessment and student support.

The former minister’s comments have therefore reignited a wider debate about whether Ghana’s education system is doing enough to identify struggling students before they reach the crucial WASSCE stage.

The bigger challenge

Ghana’s latest examination performance has once again exposed the need for sustained interventions rather than short-term reactions whenever results are released.

For Dr Adutwum, the solution lies in earlier intervention, stronger teacher development, continuous assessment, better academic counselling and giving struggling students opportunities to recover.

The political class, he suggests, must also take responsibility for changing the nature of the debate.

Because when education becomes another battlefield for partisan politics, the students — rather than the politicians — ultimately bear the consequences.

Former Vice President and 2028 flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has expressed concern over the difficulties confronting Ghanaian farmers, particularly those struggling to find markets for their produce.

Dr Bawumia said he remains deeply committed to the agricultural sector and believes Ghana must do more to ensure that farmers can sell what they produce at remunerative prices.

His comments come amid growing concerns about market access, falling producer prices and the financial difficulties facing farmers across the country.

‘I’m very committed to agriculture’

Dr Bawumia stressed his commitment to agriculture, describing the sector as critical to Ghana’s economic transformation and food security.

He said farmers should not be left in a situation where they invest heavily in seeds, fertiliser, labour and other inputs only to struggle to find buyers when their crops are ready for the market.

For him, supporting farmers must go beyond encouraging production.

There must also be deliberate measures to create reliable markets for agricultural produce.

Farmers struggling to find buyers

The concerns come against the backdrop of reports of farmers in parts of Ghana struggling to sell crops such as maize, rice and other food commodities.

Some farmers have reportedly been forced to store produce for extended periods or sell at low prices because of limited demand and inadequate purchasing arrangements.

The situation can have a devastating effect on farming households, particularly smallholder farmers who depend on proceeds from a harvest to repay loans, support their families and finance the next farming season.

Recent reports have also highlighted difficulties within Ghana’s cocoa sector, where farmers have faced challenges getting buyers with sufficient funds to purchase their beans.

‘Producing without a market is a problem’

The former Vice President’s comments highlight a longstanding challenge in Ghana’s agricultural value chain: increasing production without simultaneously guaranteeing adequate markets.

When farmers cannot sell their produce, increased production can paradoxically become a source of financial distress.

In some farming communities, reports have emerged of maize and other crops remaining on farms or being sold at heavily reduced prices because buyers are unavailable.

This has raised calls for stronger linkages between farmers, processors, institutional buyers and government-backed procurement programmes.

Agriculture and food security

Agriculture remains central to Ghana’s food security ambitions, with thousands of households depending directly on farming for their livelihoods.

For agricultural production to become more attractive to young people, farmers need confidence that their investment will translate into sustainable income.

This requires attention not only to farm inputs but also to storage, transportation, processing, financing and access to domestic and international markets.

Bawumia’s message to farmers

Dr Bawumia’s expression of concern is likely to resonate with farmers who have repeatedly complained about the difficulties involved in marketing their produce.

His position suggests that agricultural policy must focus on the entire value chain — from planting to harvesting, processing and marketing.

Without a dependable market, farmers can remain vulnerable even when they achieve good harvests.

The bigger agricultural challenge

Ghana’s agricultural sector faces several interconnected problems, including high input costs, inadequate storage facilities, limited processing capacity, transportation challenges and inconsistent market access.

Addressing these challenges will be crucial if the country is to reduce dependence on imported food and encourage more people to view farming as a viable business.

For farmers, the ultimate measure of agricultural policy is simple: after working for months to produce food, there must be a buyer willing and able to pay a fair price.

Dr Bawumia’s latest comments have therefore placed the spotlight once again on the need to make Ghana’s agricultural sector not only productive, but profitable for the people who feed the nation.

Former Education Minister and Bosomtwe MP, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, has spoken on the direction of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as the party prepares for its upcoming national executive elections.

The NPP is gearing up for a major internal contest as aspirants battle for key positions in the party’s national leadership, with the elections scheduled for October 3, 2026.

Dr Adutwum’s intervention comes at a crucial moment for the opposition party, which is seeking to rebuild and reorganise following its defeat in the 2024 general election.

Adutwum’s message to the NPP

Dr Adutwum has consistently argued for a renewed and forward-looking approach to politics, drawing on his experience in education, public policy and party organisation.

During his campaign for the NPP’s 2028 presidential nomination, he presented himself as a candidate capable of broadening the party’s appeal beyond its traditional support base.

He previously urged NPP delegates to support his bid, describing himself as a candidate capable of helping the party return to power.

A party at a crossroads

The upcoming national election is widely viewed as an important test for the NPP.

Following its 2024 defeat, the party has been under pressure to examine its internal structures, reconnect with grassroots members and develop a strategy capable of winning back voters ahead of the 2028 elections.

The choice of national officers will therefore be closely watched because the new leadership will have the responsibility of implementing the party’s reorganisation agenda and strengthening its structures ahead of the next general election.

Adutwum’s experience in the NPP

Dr Adutwum is a long-serving NPP politician and has represented the Bosomtwe Constituency in Parliament.

He also served as Minister for Education under the Akufo-Addo administration from 2021 to 2025, after previously serving as Deputy Education Minister.

His political profile has been closely associated with education reforms, including efforts to expand STEM education and promote technical and vocational training.

The bigger 2028 picture

The NPP’s internal restructuring comes as the party prepares for another major electoral battle in 2028.

Dr Mahamudu Bawumia won the NPP’s presidential primary held in January 2026, securing 56.48 per cent of valid votes to become the party’s flagbearer for the 2028 election.

With the presidential candidate already selected, attention has now shifted towards building a strong national organisational structure capable of supporting the party’s campaign.

The national executive elections will therefore be critical in determining who gets the responsibility of steering the party through this next phase.

A crucial moment for the Elephant

For Dr Adutwum and other senior figures within the NPP, the challenge is no longer simply about winning an internal contest.

The bigger task is rebuilding confidence, strengthening party structures and presenting a compelling alternative to the governing National Democratic Congress ahead of 2028.

As delegates prepare to choose the party’s national officers, the messages from senior NPP figures such as Dr Adutwum are likely to shape the conversation about what kind of leadership the party needs.

The October 3 election could consequently mark the beginning of a new chapter for the NPP — one that will determine how effectively the party reorganises itself and prepares for its next battle for political power.

Member of Parliament for Akim Swedru, Kennedy Osei Nyarko, has made a strong case for former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to be given another opportunity to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) into the 2028 general election.

According to the NPP lawmaker, President John Dramani Mahama himself returned to the presidency after losing an election, demonstrating that political careers should not necessarily end after one defeat.

He believes the same principle should apply to Dr Bawumia, who lost the 2024 presidential election to Mahama.

‘Mahama got a second chance’

Kennedy Osei Nyarko argued that Mahama’s political comeback provides an important precedent for the NPP as it considers its future presidential candidate.

Mahama first served as President between 2012 and 2017 before losing the 2016 presidential election to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

After that defeat, Mahama returned to contest the 2020 election but lost again. He subsequently made another comeback in 2024 and defeated the NPP candidate, Dr Bawumia, to return to the presidency.

For Kennedy Osei Nyarko, that political journey demonstrates that an electoral defeat does not necessarily mean the end of a presidential ambition.

Bawumia’s 2024 defeat

Dr Bawumia led the NPP into the 2024 presidential election but suffered a decisive defeat against Mahama.

The outcome triggered intense debate within the NPP over the party’s direction and the suitability of its 2024 candidate.

As the party prepares for its next presidential contest, several figures have expressed interest in leading the NPP into the 2028 election.

The debate has consequently shifted from simply assessing the 2024 defeat to determining who can rebuild the party and successfully challenge the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

‘Give him another opportunity’

Kennedy Osei Nyarko’s argument is essentially that Bawumia should not be written off because of his 2024 defeat.

He believes the former Vice President has gained valuable political experience from the previous election and should be allowed another opportunity to prove himself.

The argument also feeds into the broader discussion within the NPP about continuity, renewal and whether the party should maintain its previous direction or completely change course ahead of 2028.

NPP faces crucial decision

The NPP is expected to face a major political test as it reorganises following its 2024 defeat.

The party will have to determine whether it wants to build around familiar faces or introduce a completely new political strategy and presidential candidate.

Kennedy Osei Nyarko’s comments are therefore likely to add fresh fuel to the conversation, particularly as the party weighs the records and political prospects of potential contenders.

His comparison with Mahama also raises a fundamental question for the NPP: should one electoral defeat be enough to end a presidential ambition?

For the Akim Swedru MP, the answer appears to be no.

His message is clear — if Mahama could return to the presidency after electoral setbacks, then Dr Bawumia, having experienced defeat in 2024, should also be given another chance to make his case to Ghanaians.