A special NDC-USA Functional Executives Conference came off successfully at the prestigious Georgia International Conference Center, Atlanta, on Dec 07, 2013 weekend as planned. An overwhelming number of Branch executives and delegates joined their hosts of the Atlanta Branch in an atmosphere of camaraderie.

It was a weekend seminar and brainstorming session for reviewing activities of the Chapter, formulating policies, planning and strategizing to support development programs being pursued and led by its mother organization in Ghana. The theme for the Conference was "Chapter Cohesion and Strategizing for the Future – The relevance of NDC-USA in national affairs of Ghana".

The Conference resolved on a number of proactive issues of importance to make the Chapter an action-oriented one. These include a re-look at its bylaws, strengthening Branches, and engaging with communities while establishing socio-economic relationship with entities within its immediate environs. Those, among others, were found to have been the paramount focus of the Chapter, rather than the craze for executive titles at all costs, including the cost of Chapter unity.

It was much a seminar of intellectual and professional discourse, with practical lessons drawn from best practices in other political economies. This resulted in drawing thoughtful and far-reaching programs with task forces formed to embark on the action items. Performance measurement standards, mechanisms, and milestones have also been drawn for periodic assessment and evaluation of activities. The Chapter finds the need to establish working relationship with Party offices on areas of Research, Policy Formulation, Monitoring, and Evaluation.

Resource generation through various means was considered and concrete arrangements outlined to complement efforts of the Party and the government in her development agenda for the country. A more interactive website with control tools was launched (www.ndcusachapter.org), with action plans in the works towards Campaign 2016.

It was recognized and emphasized that the Chapter should assume greater responsibility as an agent of its mother organization that finds itself in an economy of opportunities. The Chapter must be driven with purpose to make itself relevant among the comity of Chapter, Constituencies, and Structures of the NDC Party. The forum advised itself against negative attitude and utterances particularly within the Chapter which make it unattractive to potential sympathizers.

Participants returned to their various Branches inspired and energized for the tasks ahead. They found the Conference productive and resolved to converge more frequently to sustain the enthusiasm.