Former Member of Parliament Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye is calling on the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to establish a welfare fund to support its former Members of Parliament, District Chief Executives, and party stalwarts who are struggling after leaving office. Vanderpuye, who represented Odododiodioo in Parliament, made the appeal during an engagement with senior party cadres in Wa. He noted that the absence of a formal welfare and exit structure leaves many former officials to fend for themselves once their terms end.
Vanderpuye pointed to the NDC's founding motto, "One Family," as evidence that the party has strayed from its own principles. He recalled that when the party was formed in 1992, its T-shirts carried the words "One Family" beneath the umbrella symbol, emphasizing that a family should look after its own once they can no longer serve in office. Vanderpuye's proposal aims to address the financial and social difficulties faced by many former officials after leaving their positions.
According to Vanderpuye, many former MPs, DCEs, and party officials face steep financial and social difficulties after leaving their positions. It becomes hard for many to find employment or rebuild their lives once their tenure ends. He also spoke of the debts many MPs accumulate while in office, explaining that money coming to lawmakers is typically redirected into constituents' school fees, hospital bills, and rent, leaving many with little to show for their years in Parliament.
Vanderpuye recounted the case of a former Deputy Minister who, after losing his seat, could not afford his medication and eventually had his car repossessed by a bank. This, he said, highlights the need for a welfare system to support former officials. To address this gap, Vanderpuye proposed setting up a dedicated welfare desk at the NDC's National Secretariat to serve as a point of contact for former officials navigating life after office.
The proposed welfare desk would give former officials somewhere to turn to, rather than being left to feel discarded once their usefulness to the party has passed. Vanderpuye also spoke of his own experience of being sidelined since leaving Parliament, saying he has not been invited to meetings in his former constituency for over a year, despite still being called upon for funeral contributions.
Vanderpuye is one of several declared aspirants for the NDC's National Chairman position ahead of the party's December delegates conference. He joins Nii Armah Ashitey, who has also entered the race for NDC National Chairman. Beyond the welfare proposal, Vanderpuye used the Wa engagement to call for separating the party's policy conferences from its elective congresses.
Vanderpuye's proposal for a welfare desk remains part of his chairmanship campaign platform ahead of the party's December delegates conference, where members will vote on who leads the party's national organisation going forward. No date has been given for when, or whether, the NDC leadership might formally consider the welfare desk proposal.
Key points
- Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye proposes a welfare desk for former NDC officials.
- The proposed welfare desk aims to support former officials who struggle after leaving office.
- Vanderpuye is a declared aspirant for the NDC's National Chairman position.
