KENNEDY AGYAPONG CRITICIZED FOR GROUPING NORTHERN REGIONS IN CAMPAIGN SPEECH
MP's Political Strategy Sparks Debate on Regional Representation and "Lazy Classification"
Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, is facing criticism following a campaign speech where he consolidated Ghana’s five northern regions into a single political bloc, a practice that has long been challenged by stakeholders and community leaders.
Speaking to party delegates, Agyapong presented his candidacy by arguing against presidential succession based on regional backgrounds. “Eastern Region had their president for eight years and you think Ghanaians are going to vote for the next person from Eastern Region?” he questioned. “Eastern go, Eastern come will never work. Northern go, Northern come will also not work.”
He then positioned himself as the alternative from an overlooked region, stating, “I am from the Central region; NPP should give the Central region an opportunity.”
This rhetorical strategy, which effectively reduces Ghana’s sixteen administrative regions to twelve broad zones for political analysis, has ignited a fresh debate about regional representation. Critics argue that grouping the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, North East, and Savannah regions into one homogenous “North” is a reductive and harmful oversimplification.
The criticism echoes previous concerns raised by prominent figures like Reverend Eastwood Anaba. At a media festival in Bolgatanga, Rev. Anaba had previously urged Ghanaians and the media to abandon this practice, describing it as a “lazy classification” that allows policymakers to ignore the distinct development needs, cultures, and challenges of each separate region.
He had pointedly questioned why there are no equivalent blanket terms for southern, eastern, or western regions, suggesting that the “regions of the north” label is a convenient but inaccurate construct that perpetuates a lack of targeted development.
By employing this consolidated regional framework for his political argument, Agyapong has inadvertently highlighted a sensitive issue in national discourse, drawing attention to the tension between broad political messaging and the call for more nuanced recognition of Ghana’s diverse regional identities.
Source:NKONKONSA.com
