Political scientist and CEO of the Ghana Shippers Authority, Prof. Ransford Gyampo, has cautioned political actors and observers against dismissing the emergence of a credible third political force in Ghana’s evolving democratic landscape.
Speaking on TV3’s The KeyPoint programme, Prof. Gyampo argued that while Ghana’s politics has traditionally been dominated by two major parties, recent developments and growing public consciousness indicate that the rise of an alternative political movement is only a matter of time.
“It will be an error of judgement for anybody to say that we should not give an attempted third force a dog’s chance. Things are evolving, and the fact that third forces have performed poorly in the past doesn’t mean they cannot rise in the future,” he said.
Prof. Gyampo pointed to Ghana’s hung parliament in 2020 and the gradual shift in public attitudes towards political leadership as signs of a maturing democracy. According to him, Ghanaians are increasingly recognising that political leadership is not reserved for a select few but is open to competent individuals across society.
“For the first time, we had a hung parliament. For the first time, we have a ruling party dominating with just a bare majority. It tells you that we are still evolving. People have now grown to appreciate that those who parade themselves as leaders are also human beings—and many outside politics are even better qualified,” he explained.
The political scientist also reflected on internal party dynamics, particularly in the lead-up to a major party’s presidential primaries. He revealed that Alan Kyerematen was extremely popular among both party executives and the grassroots, especially during the first stage of the primaries that narrowed the number of aspirants to five. However, critical events that occurred a day before the decisive contest altered the outcome.
“People don’t know what happened the day before the primaries. A lot of things happened. The day we address cheating, election result purchases, and monetisation—what I call monocracy—that day, we will truly know who the people prefer to lead,” he noted.
Prof. Gyampo expressed deep worry that Ghana’s democracy is drifting toward a system where financial muscle, rather than genuine popular support, determines electoral outcomes.
“We are on a certain tangent where, if you have money, you can do anything—you can win elections. Democracy, which should be about the people’s choice and the expression of the sovereign will, now appears to be for sale to the highest bidder. It’s unfortunate,” he lamented.
He concluded by stressing that as democratic practices mature and citizens become more discerning, third political forces will inevitably emerge to challenge the status quo, bringing fresh energy and competition to Ghana’s political space.
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