By Stanley Kwabla Arku
Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has urged African political leaders to put national unity above partisan gain, warning that electoral triumphs achieved at the cost of cohesion ultimately weaken the very nations they are meant to serve.
Speaking at the opening of the 2025 African Political Parties Summit in Accra, the Vice President stressed that democracy should be adversarial only in the “marketplace of ideas” and that the real measure of political success lies in the ability of leaders to work together for the common good.
“Partisan victories mean little if they are achieved at the expense of national cohesion,” she told delegates. “Power is transient while the nation endures. Our people expect us to focus not just on the next election, but on the next generation.”
The summit, held under the theme “From Politics to Prosperity: Strengthening Inter-Party Collaboration for Africa’s Development and Economic Transformation,” has attracted representatives from more than 30 African countries, including sitting and former heads of state, deputy prime ministers, ministers, parliamentarians, political party leaders, civil society actors, and development partners.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang’s remarks come at a time when Ghana is mourning the loss of eight prominent citizens who died in a military helicopter crash last week while on official duty. She described the tragedy as a reminder of the selflessness required in leadership and said the best way to honour the victims was to pursue the shared mission of building a prosperous Ghana and Africa.
Over the next three days, participants will explore strategies for maintaining stability during elections and political transitions, creating long-term development plans that survive changes in government, and enhancing regional cooperation to tackle shared challenges such as violent extremism, climate change, illicit trade, and pandemics.
A key outcome is expected to be the adoption of the Implementation Framework for the African Political Parties Initiative (APPI), a mechanism to institutionalise inter-party dialogue, resolve disputes constructively, and strengthen policy collaboration across party lines.
The Vice President also highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area as a symbol of what can be achieved through unity, but cautioned that its success would depend on sustained political will and cross-party commitment to harmonise policies and open trade and investment opportunities.
The summit continues until Thursday, when leaders are expected to issue a joint communiqué reaffirming their commitment to democracy, unity, and Africa’s economic transformation.