A respected Senior leader of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of India Mr. L K Advani was last week quoted as saying that more youth must be encouraged to enter into politics to change the “ugly India Politicians” His submission in far away India is relevant to Ghana and rightly, timely for the NPP as they embark on the election of a new National Youth Organizer to replace Mr. John Boadu this weekend.

As a youth in the NPP I’m more so concern that we elect a National Youth Leader who has the potential of engineering the realization of the dreams of many of the youth in the NPP and Ghana as a whole. A dynamic National Youth Leader of the NPP will undoubtedly serve as a vehicle by which the youth can seize the opportunity that this century brings. The outgoing National Youth Organizer Mr. John Boadu did his best but according to some of the youth, his best was not enough. Some accused John Boadu of going to ‘bed’ with the old guards (Adults) thereby neglects the core aspirations of the youth. Perhaps John Boadu was nurturing the ambition to replace Mr. Laud Commey as National Organizer hence the alleged apprenticeship in the ‘adult arena’. I have closely worked with John Boadu from his days as the ‘Accounts Clerk’ at the NPP Head office and sincerely speaking he did a lot of work for the youth but his positives and negatives are not my priority today.

Way back in 1934 in far away the USA, the then First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt saw the need to empower the youth and she got extremely involved in the formation of various youth congresses, for to her, the youth must be brought into active politics so that they can feel that they are also very important. Unfortunately in Ghana there seemed to be a ‘cold war’ between the Youth and the Old guard (Adults) each sees the other in suspension and apprehension. This paranoia has created a situation where the youth believed that they can reach places only through the help of a ‘god father’ So the NPP need to have a Youth Leader who will be strategic minded to bridge the gap between this two generation. To change this status quo demand a humane personality, inherent in the demonstration of his power-the Youth Organizer-driven by the youth agitation for more recognition is the danger of offending the Old guard(adult).So in moving from the old paradigm of confrontational approach with the old guard, there should be that of a dialogue and decorum. The person should be aware that in fighting for us the youth, extreme care must be taken to embark on a well tested approach that will help in the realization of the youth aspirations.

The in-coming Youth Organizer must create, in collaboration with the National Tescon Co-coordinator, a platform where the National Youth office will be a place where thoughtfulness and introspection can be addressed. For far too long, there had been lack of strategic plan to nurture and groom future leaders in the NPP. That was one area I had a proposal tabled before Dr.Apraku and Mr. Prince Aboagye (former operation officer at the Campaign office) in 2008 that we got to task our various constituencies and regional Chairmen to embark on a systemic approach to unearth youthful talents in our party so that they can take up any future leadership positions or challenges but regrettably my proposals were dustbin.

Another area that worries me is that, the National Youth Organizer is supposed to superintendent on both the ‘boys’ and the ‘girls’ in the NPP but sadly this position is gradually turning to be a preserve for the ‘boys’. Why the ladies are not vying for this position is bizarre to me. During my Tescon Presidency ,I did all I could to have a comprehensive discussion with the then Tescon Co-coordinator Mr. Isaac Asiemah (now an MP) on how best we can embark on a deliberate agenda to promote more gifted ladies to occupy various Tescon presidency. I am hoping that the next Jake or Ntim led National Executives of the NPP will appoint a lady to oversee the National Tescon Co-coordinating position to replace Mr.Attafuah.

Again the in-coming National Youth Leader must be a humble guy. One significant approach Mr. John Boadu adopted with great admiration, he indeed epitomizes genuine humility. The NPP do not need an arrogant personality who will lord it over the people he is going to preside. A person who will be anxious to bring both the ‘boys’ and the ‘girls’ together so that in unity we can marshal all energy to wrestle power from the dysfunctional NDC. A compassionate individual who will strive to be a link between the Youth and the National Executives. One fundamental strategy adopted, which worked perfectly was the bond of team spirit that permeated through these person; Dan Botwe, Laud Commey, John Boadu and Isaac Asiemah during the former administration. That is what the next NPP Youth Leader must posses, strength to work in harmony with the National Executives .It is not a matter of the person having wealth or lack of it. The crucial thing is the person who can do the job to the admirations of majority of the youth. I worked with Anthony Karbo in WA and had a briefing on his strength during the campaign, Steven Amoah was excellent during our communication onslaught against the NDC during the election, and have known Pius Hiadze capability working closely with Laud Commey, Micheal Ampong is also a fine gentleman in the NPP. But who among these guys can do the job. I perfectly know that individual who can build on where Mr. John Boadu left. I must concede that none of these guys posses all those qualities I have enumerated but there is one of them who shows a semblance of such potential.

The Delegates must scrutinize all these guys and nominate the person who has the potential to spearhead the realization of the aspiration of the Youth.

Long live NPP Youth.

MARTIN KWANING (Former Tescon President)