Various Youth Representatives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) drawn from constituencies across Ghana have petitioned the leadership of the party to correct what they describe as a grave injustice before the National Delegates Conference on December 19, 2026.
The petitioners, led by Mr. Abdul-Basit Garba Ango and other Youth Representatives from the Subin Constituency in the Ashanti Region, on behalf of all Other Youth Representatives across Ghana have since served the petition on the National Chairman, the General Secretary, the National Executive Committee (NEC), the Functional Executive Committee (FEC), the National Council of Elders, the National Electoral Committee / Director of Elections among others.
The petition, headed “All Youth Must Vote” stated that they are not outsiders but elected executives of the party who contested, campaigned and were voted for by delegates.
According to the petitioners, the Youth Representative paid over GHS1, 000.00 for nomination forms alone, which is more than double what the other eight elected Constituency Executives paid. They said they paid the highest price to serve, yet they are given the lowest recognition.
They further stated that the aggrieved Youth Representatives went through vetting, picked up forms, toured branches, campaigned before Branch Youth Organisers, spent personal resources, and subjected themselves to a democratic election, thereby earning a mandate from the grassroots.
In contrast, they argued that the Co-opted Members paid nothing for forms, faced no vetting, faced no delegates, campaigned nowhere, and spent nothing, yet today enjoys full executive recognition and full voting rights at National Congress, while the elected Other Youth Representatives are being told they cannot vote.
The Petition stated that this cannot stand in a party built on probity, accountability and social democracy. The petitioners questioned how a person who paid nothing and contested nothing can vote to choose national leaders, while a person who paid over GHS 1,000.00, campaigned, and won an election is denied that same voting right.
According to them, they are executives for work, for mobilisation, for sacrifice and for campaign, but are told they are not executives for voting and for decision-making. “That is tokenism, not democracy”, they added.
They noted that the Other Youth Representative is listed under the NDC Constitution as a member of the Constituency Executive Committee, sits in executive meetings, contributes to decisions, mobilises for elections and defends the party, and therefore cannot be an executive for work, but a non-executive for voting.
The group acknowledged with appreciation the NEC decision to re-designate the Other Youth as Second Deputy Constituency Youth Organiser and welcomed it, but respectfully insisted that leadership should not wait for Congress to ratify what justice already demands.
They stated that to delay their recognition until after Congress is to deliberately disenfranchise them from the very Congress that will ratify their existence,
The petitioners therefore demanded: Immediate change of the delegate list to include the Other Youth Representative across the country.
That the Other Youth Representative must vote in Regional Level Elections.
That the Other Youth Representative must vote in National Level Elections, including the National Delegates Conference on 19th December, 2026.
