Unidentified banners calling for Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, to become the NDC’s 2028 flagbearer have appeared at key junctions in Wa, the Upper West Regional capital, with no group yet claiming responsibility. The sudden appearance of the posters has ignited speculation about the minister’s presidential ambitions and the political dynamics shaping the Upper West Region ahead of the next general election.
A tour of Wa township by Yiri News revealed large banners bearing the inscription: “Friends of Hon Eric Opoku Upper West Region – We Want Eric Opoku The Next NDC Flag bearer for 2028.” These banners were prominently displayed at the Wa Municipal Hospital Junction, the Saana Corner Junction along J.J. Rawlings High Street, and other major vantage points across the town. Residents interviewed by Yiri News indicated that the banners were likely hoisted late last night, adding to the mystery as no individual or organisation has come forward to own up to the campaign.
Eric Opoku is the sitting Member of Parliament for Asunafo South in the Ahafo Region and currently serves as Ghana’s Minister for Food and Agriculture.
In recent months, he has been highly visible in national agricultural policy, including launching the Ghana Agricultural Fund for Education and Transformation (GAFET) to boost skills, innovation and agribusiness, pushing a 100,000-hectare oil palm plantation agenda to cut imports and create jobs, and overseeing the Feed Ghana Programme, which has been credited with helping drive food inflation down sharply.
His strong ministerial profile and grassroots connections have kept his name in circulation as a potential future national leader within the NDC.
While the banners clearly signal support for Opoku as a 2028 presidential aspirant, there is no official declaration from Hon. Opoku himself, no recognised campaign structure publicly linked to the banners, and no statement from the NDC hierarchy on the matter.
For now, the “Friends of Hon Eric Opoku Upper West Region” remains an anonymous label, fuelling speculation rather than confirming a formal campaign. The appearance of the banners in Wa—far from Opoku’s Ahafo base—suggests efforts to build or signal support for him in the Upper West ahead of 2028, an attempt to test the waters for his acceptability as a national figure, and possible groundwork by informal supporters to create early momentum.
As the 2028 election cycle gradually warms up, such grassroots displays often precede more organised moves, even when principals remain publicly silent.
Yiri News will continue to monitor developments and seek comments from party officials, local leaders, and associates of the minister.
