The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has promised to work with a cabinet made up of young people, saying it will be one of the youngest cabinets in the country’s history.
According to him, “young people will be the majority in that cabinet.”
Speaking to members of the youth wing of the party in Accra, he recounted how his political career started, sharing what believes was an invaluable opportunity for him to unearth his career.
“The NDC cabinet post 7th January, 2025 is going to be averagely one of the youngest cabinets in the history of this country. Even I got the opportunity early. I entered Parliament at 38; I was made a deputy minister at 39; at 41, I was a full minister, and I became vice president at 50.”
“… and I think that if you look at the demographics of this country, and you know that young people are the majority, then definitely if you are setting up a cabinet, young people will be the majority in that cabinet,” he added.
Although he did not directly tackle the issue of government size, John Mahama said he is sure about driving monumental development through engaging more youth in his next government.
Policing the polls
Mr. Mahama urged the youth of the party to strive for victory in the upcoming general elections by being vigilant at the polling stations.
He has urged the youth wing to work closely with the election directorate of the party “in terms of the vigilance that we need at the polling stations and the transmission of the results.”
“You know the campaign is important, the message is important but most critical of all is that elections are won or lost at the polling stations and so we can have the nicest of the messages, we can do the best of campaigns… if on the day, we do not police the poll, the objective that we set for ourselves will not happen,” he directed.
NDC Youth vow to protect ballot
The National Youth Organiser of the NDC, George Opare-Addo, who would not disclose the campaign strategies of the youth wing, noted that they will use every legitimate means to ensure the mandate of Ghanaians is realised.
“A call to police the polls is a call to duty. Every Ghanaian knows that where Ghana stands today, it is in our best interest to make sure that every single vote that is cast is properly counted for and so we will police the ballots at the peril of our lives – that I can assure everybody – to make sure the right things are done, and nobody takes us for granted.”
“If I vote, my vote must be counted. Nobody, whether an electoral officer or a police officer or a military officer or anybody – not even the president – should attempt to take the mandate of the people for granted,” he noted.