Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Youth Working Committee, Okai Mintah, has expressed confidence that the party will reclaim the Bimbilla parliamentary seat under his leadership as National Youth Organizer.
Addressing Branch Youth Organizers in the Bimbilla Constituency, Mr. Mintah said the NDC Youth Wing was determined to reverse the party’s fortunes in the constituency through intensified grassroots mobilisation, organization and sustained engagement with young people.
“Bimbilla is coming back to the NDC, and we are going to make that happen through a stronger, more organized and more purposeful Youth Wing,” Mr. Mintah stated.
He said his ambition to lead the NDC Youth Wing was anchored on a clear understanding of the party’s grassroots structures and the need to empower young people to become active participants in building a stronger electoral machine.
According to him, the youth constitute a decisive force in Ghanaian elections, and the NDC must therefore invest in its youth structures, strengthen branch-level organisation and ensure that every young party member has a role to play in the party’s electoral strategy.
“We will not leave our victory to chance. We will organise at the branch level, build the capacity of our young people and work relentlessly until every vote that belongs to the NDC is mobilised. The Youth Wing will be at the heart of that effort,” he said.
Mr. Mintah’s comments come against the backdrop of a closely contested political history in Bimbilla. The constituency has changed parliamentary representation several times since the advent of the Fourth Republic, with the NDC winning the seat in 2000 and 2004 before the NPP regained it in 2008.
The NPP’s Dominic Nitiwul subsequently established a stronghold over the constituency. In the 2016 parliamentary election, Mr. Nitiwul polled 29,827 votes, representing 57.73 percent, while the NDC’s Joseph Kwabena Manboah-Rockson obtained 17,918 votes, or 34.68 percent.
The 2024 election, however, showed a narrowing gap between the two major parties. Nitiwul retained the seat with 34,582 votes (54.08 percent), while the NDC candidate, Joseph Kwabena Manboah-Rockson, secured 29,364 votes (45.92 percent), a margin of 5,218 votes.
Hon. Abdul Samed Hamza, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Nanumba North Municipal Assembly, welcomed Mr. Mintah’s commitment to strengthening the NDC’s grassroots structures in Bimbilla, describing it as timely and necessary for the party’s resurgence in the constituency.
“The figures show that the NDC is making significant progress in Bimbilla. What we need now is to consolidate that progress by strengthening our grassroots structures, empowering our youth and ensuring that our people remain engaged throughout the political cycle. With unity, hard work and effective organisation, the NDC can reclaim this seat,” Hon. Hamza said.
He commended the Branch Youth Organizers for their commitment to the party and urged them to remain disciplined and focused, assuring them that a strong and coordinated Youth Wing would be critical to the NDC’s efforts to secure victory in 2028.
Mr. Mintah believes the figures demonstrate that the constituency is within the NDC’s reach and that a well-organised Youth Wing can play a decisive role in closing the remaining gap.
“The numbers tell us something very important: Bimbilla is not beyond our reach. The gap has narrowed, and with disciplined organisation, aggressive grassroots engagement and a Youth Wing that is fully mobilised, we can cross the line. We are going to take Bimbilla back,” he declared.
He urged the Branch Youth Organizers to remain united, disciplined and focused, assuring them that his leadership would prioritise grassroots structures and make the Youth Wing a formidable force capable of delivering electoral victories for the party.
Mr. Mintah also called for a new approach to youth mobilization, stressing that the NDC must move beyond periodic campaign activities and build a permanent grassroots network that engages young people throughout the political cycle.
“We are not coming to Bimbilla to make promises; we are coming to organise, to build and to win. When the Youth Wing is strong, the party is strong. And when our branches are strong, victory becomes inevitable,” he said.
The engagement formed part of Mr. Mintah’s ongoing consultations with grassroots youth structures as he prepares to contest the position of National Youth Organizer of the NDC when nominations open.
