My Experience Is My Certificate, Not English Fluency – Wontumi Defends NPP Chairmanship Bid

Aspiring National Chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, has dismissed criticism of his English proficiency, insisting that effective leadership is measured by service, experience, and results rather than fluency in the language.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme, the three-time Ashanti Regional Chairman said he remains focused on helping the NPP return to power in the 2028 general elections and is not concerned by remarks questioning his academic credentials or command of English.

“People saying I don’t speak good English doesn’t stop me. I’m unperturbed,” he said.

Leadership Is About Service

According to Wontumi, his decision to contest the NPP national chairmanship is rooted in a desire to serve the party and strengthen its grassroots structures, not to participate in what he described as an “English-speaking competition.”

“I’m not in the national chairmanship race for an English-speaking competition. I’m in it to serve the people, and I will always speak the language the grassroots understand,” he stated.

He argued that political parties should prioritize winning elections and connecting with supporters rather than placing excessive emphasis on academic qualifications and titles.

“I’m not here to spoil our constitution but to fulfil it and claim victory for the party. I don’t think the party is concerned about titles; rather, the party wants power,” he added.

‘My Certificate Is My Experience’

Wontumi highlighted his two decades of involvement in the party as his greatest qualification for the position.

“My certificate is my experience. I have been in this for 20 years. I have been the regional chairman three consecutive times. I have the party constitution at heart,” he said.

Reflecting on the NPP's defeat in the 2024 elections, he suggested the party should give greater opportunities to grassroots leaders.

“We had elite leaders for the 2024 elections, and we lost, so why don’t we try the grassroots as well?” he questioned.

Promise to Rebuild and Unite the Party

The NPP chairman hopeful pledged to help rebuild the party and address shortcomings that contributed to its electoral loss.

“I am coming to alleviate us from the pain of the election we lost. We have learned from our mistakes, and we are going to correct all of them,” he said.

Wontumi further argued that his election would demonstrate that dedication and hard work can enable party members to rise through the ranks regardless of their educational background.

“If I am made chairman, it will debunk all the allegations that if you don’t have a certificate, you can’t rise in the ranks in the NPP. It will give everyone hope that if you work well at the party, you can be promoted to higher positions,” he stated.

Bridging Grassroots and Academia

He also promised to strengthen collaboration between the party’s grassroots base and its professional and intellectual wings.

“The grassroots, for the first time, will partner with academia. I am going to be a chairman for everyone—a working chairman, a grassroots chairman, and a listening chairman,” he said.

Expressing confidence in the future of the party, Wontumi said a united NPP would be well-positioned to reclaim power in 2028.

“We will work collectively, and the NPP is going to work again,” he added.