Young NIMD

The political context
In December 2004, President Mr. John Kufuor of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was re-elected as president of the Republic of Ghana. Within parliament the NPP has 128 seats. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) holds 94 seats. The People's National Convention (PNC) and Convention People's Party (CPP) respectively have 4 and 3 seats in parliament.

The Youth Wings
The four Parties in Parliament are the main parties with significant youth wings in Ghana. The youth wings of the Parties are officially recognized in the constitutions of the parties and have an office in the National Headquarters of the Parties. The leader of the Youth Wing of each party, the National Youth Organiser is also a member of the National Executives of the Party. The Youth of the Party are the backbone of the party as they monitor the registration of voters, spearhead campaigns, monitor elections and constitute the main driving force in internal party elections as well. Nationally, the definition of the youth is such that it includes citizens aged 15-30 years. Political parties, however, maintain a more flexible definition of youth. Most of the Parties define youth as members up to the age of 40. One political party, the NPP, has no age limit at all.

NPP
The NPP Youth Organiser is elected by the National Congress of the NPP Party. The National Youth Organiser is a member of the National Executive Committee of the Party responsible for directing and overseeing the operations of the activities of the Party. The Youth Wing has its own National, Regional and Constituency officers. It operates from the premises of the National, Regional and Constituency branches of the Party. The NPP states that the youth is very much involved in policy making as the National Youth Organiser is a member of the National Executive Committee. However, it is noted that the Youth Organiser is not elected from or by the youth.

NDC
The NDC sees its Youth Wing as an integral and autonomous organ of the Party. The National Youth Organiser is a member of the National Executives of the Party. The Youth Wing has its own National, Regional and Constituency officers. It operates from the premises of the National, Regional and Constituency branches of the Party. The Youth Organiser is elected by youth representatives at the Youth National Congress. He is not elected 'from' the youth representatives.

CPP
The constitution of the CPP guarantees the establishment of a vibrant Youth Wing with the responsibility for educating and mobilising the Youth in support of Party Programmes. The National Youth Organiser is elected by a committee at the National Congress of the CPP. The CPP states that at the moment, it does not have Youth Officers at the regional level due to financial difficulties.

PNC
The National Youth Organiser of the PNC is appointed by the leader of the party in consultation with the National Standing Committee. The youth committee is selected by the youth itself. There is a regional youth organiser in each region and constituency. The National Youth Organiser is responsible for ensuring that youth wings in all structures of the party are well organised and functioning well.

The conference in October 2006
At the end of October 2006, Young NIMD hosted its first fact-finding mission in Ghana. Three Young NIMD members attended a conference with the youth wings of the political parties in Ghana.

The conference in Akosombo was the first activity in which members of the four youth wings participated together. By organising this conference the IEA has brought them together to exchange experiences and to discuss the role of the youth for the future of Ghana's multiparty democracy. They discussed the importance of party philosophy, the youth as future party leaders and the role of the youth in conflict prevention. The Young NIMD delegates participated actively in the conference and gave a presentation about the relations between political youth organizations and their mother parties in the Netherlands. The Young NIMD delegates identified the differences between the Youth Wings in Ghana and the Youth Wings in The Netherlands where parties receive funding earmarked for youth organizations from the government. The presentation resulted in the adoption of a resolution by the youth in which they demand government funding for political youth organizations in Ghana. The resolution was supported by two members of parliament representing Ghana’s two largest parties at the congress. Next to a resolution, the conference resulted in a meeting held the first day after the conference, for the four youth organisers who have now started their own platform, similar to the Platform of Secretary Generals. They will meet regularly to discuss youth issues and the involvement of youth in politics. The youth organisers have also given their commitment to establish a national youth agenda.