'Don't lower the bar' — Tsatsu Tsikata's warning to the NDC government

Renowned legal and statesman Tsatsu Tsikata has cautioned the National Democratic Congress (NDC) against measuring its performance solely against that of the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, warning that doing so would betray the party's founding ideals.

Speaking at a lecture in Accra to mark what would have been the 79th birthday of former President Jerry John Rawlings, Mr Tsikata said the NDC must hold itself to a higher standard of governance rooted in accountability, integrity and national transformation.

"There is a danger, especially after what the country went through in the disastrous 2017 to 2024 period, that we lower the bar of what the nation expects of us in the NDC and aim to be just a little better than the previous government," he said.

"That would be both an affront to the people of Ghana and an affront to the illustrious traditions of the NDC."

Mr Tsikata said the party's return to power following the 2024 elections should not lead to complacency, arguing that Ghanaians expected a government capable of delivering meaningful reforms rather than merely outperforming its predecessor.

He urged party members to draw inspiration from the values associated with the late former President Rawlings, particularly probity, accountability and opposition to corruption.

"So, in honour of J.J. Rawlings and as an expression of the ideals of the NDC, we must raise the bar of service to the nation and mobilise the nation to reconstruct the future," he said.

The lecture, organised by the NDC in collaboration with the J.J. Rawlings Foundation, formed part of activities commemorating the late president's legacy.

During his address, Mr Tsikata described Rawlings as a leader who viewed democracy not only through elections but also through economic empowerment and social justice.

He credited the former president with helping to stabilise the economy, expand access to electricity, liberalise the telecommunications sector and deepen decentralisation.

Mr Tsikata also proposed the establishment of a Rawlings Legacy Centre to preserve records of the former president's leadership and the history of Ghana's revolutionary era.

Other speakers echoed calls for the NDC to remain faithful to the principles associated with Rawlings.

The Board Chairman of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, Dr Akwasi Opong-Fosu, said naming the party's headquarters after Rawlings should serve as a reminder of the values of probity, accountability and social justice.

Former Information Minister Kofi Totobi Quakyi also warned against complacency and urged party members to remain committed to discipline and public service.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the J.J. Rawlings Foundation, Yaa Asantewaa Agyeman-Rawlings, called on young people to embrace the values of courage, patriotism and service that she said defined her father's life.