Former NPP General Secretary, John Boadu, has stated that if he gets the chance, he would try to bring dancehall star Shatta Wale into the NPP because of the musician’s strong influence on the youth.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on Tuesday, November 11, the NPP chairmanship hopeful explained that engaging young people is essential for the party’s growth.
“I know how to work with these young folks—selling our message in a way that feels simple and relatable to them. If we do that, we can reach them easily,” he said.
“And by 2028, those between the ages of 18 and about 36 to 40 will make up almost 60% of the voting population.”
When host Evans Mensah asked what makes his solution unique among other contenders, Mr Boadu replied, “The solution is to get into their arena and their interest and deal with them.”
Pressed further on whether he would bring Shatta Wale into the NPP, he responded, “If possible, why not? You can get other people out as well.”
Evans asked whether that meant Shatta Wale would campaign for the NPP. “Not necessarily a hard campaign,” Boadu clarified, “but passing through our messages.”
Evans pointed out that in 2024, the NPP used songs by King Paluta and Shatta Wale during the campaign but still lost by a historic margin.
Mr Boadu agreed that the party needed to go beyond that. “You need to do more of that by nurturing these youthful people,” he said.
He stressed that the party’s approach must change.
“I’m saying it’s not even necessary to parade them at your rallies. You have to go to where they are, connect with their interests, and not force them onto your political stages. That’s what really matters.”
Mr. Boadu added that the NPP could lose influence in important circles.
“You can see that, for example, in academia, it seems the NDC currently has a strong presence,” he noted.
“A lot of these people don’t need much. It’s not always about giving appointments. Many of them simply want recognition.
“They want that sense of belonging from the party, especially because many of them see themselves as the ones who should be reviewing your programs and policies.”
