Basiera Saankara, the former youth organiser for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Wa West, filed his nomination papers today to contest the position of National Youth Organiser. He said the move comes as part of a broader effort to strengthen the party’s youth presence ahead of the 2028 elections.
During a brief media briefing after submitting his forms, Saankara announced the launch of the Green Harvest Initiative, a programme aimed at making the youth wing financially independent. The initiative would encourage youth groups across the country to engage in productive ventures, particularly in agriculture, to generate their own resources.
He explained that the initiative would dovetail with government programmes such as Nkoko Nkitinkiti and Feed Ghana, urging youth wings to participate actively in these schemes. “Within my mission of leading the youth wing of the National Democratic Congress, we must have a wing that funds itself,” Saankara said. “I am here to lead an army that will be ready to march in 2028; 2028 is a mission to renew a mandate.”
Saankara also proposed the creation of a John Mahama Young Leadership Fellowship, designed to identify, mentor and develop the next generation of party leaders. He cited President John Dramani Mahama’s political journey as an example of the leadership experience young people could learn from. “We must have a youth wing that grows its own leaders. We cannot wait again and hope that Bole would produce another John Mahama very soon,” he added.
The NDC has yet to confirm whether Saankara’s nomination will be accepted, but the party’s youth wing is expected to play a pivotal role in mobilising young voters in the coming years.
