National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Stephen Ntim, has officially launched the 2023 edition of the Mentorship Forum for the Party’s National Youth Wing.
The event, organized by the National Youth Organizer, Salam Mustapha, aims to inspire and groom future leaders for the NPP and the country.
Addressing attendees at the Forum on Thursday, Stephen Ntim commended the efforts of the National Youth Wing leadership in organizing the event, which he described as “worth appreciating and embracing” due to its potential impact on the political fortunes of the NPP.
He said, “Leadership, they say, is the cause, and every other thing is the effect. So essentially, everything begins and ends with leadership, and that is why it is always important to invest in leadership and mentorship programs.”
The Chairman stressed the significance of young people in the party’s political fortunes and highlighted their instrumental role in promoting the ideas and ideals of the NPP.
He expressed gratitude to the party’s youth for their devotion, steadfastness, and sacrifices, particularly during the 2016 and 2020 General Elections, which contributed to the party’s success in forming the government.
He disclosed that all necessary preparations have been done for the establishment of a Party School to offer leadership training to members of the party who aspire to take up leadership positions.
He said, “We have secured a National Secretariat for the school. We have appointed a Governing Council and its Chairman in the person of Rt Hon Mike Aeron Ocquaye, the immediate past speaker of Parliament. The Party has also appointed a Rector for the school in the person of Prof Bonzi Simpson, the immediate past Rector for GIMPA.
“The Party School will primarily offer leadership training to members of the party who aspire to take up leadership positions in the Party and in Government. The School is also expected to provide credible, cutting-edge research intended to promote the party’s vision of building a free and prosperous society.”
“In effect, the Party School, shall, to a large extent, concern itself with teaching its members, the Party’s ideology, political and communication strategy, principles, core values as well as the vision of J. B. Danquah, Simon Dombo and Kofi Abrefa Busia.”
“It is envisaged that in the medium to long term, appointees and potential appointees in an NPP government, as well as Elected Officers and Appointees of the Party at the National, Regional, Constituency, Electoral Area and Polling Station levels would have received training at the Party School,” he added
He assured the National Youth Wing of his support and commitment to rolling out all of its policies, including mentorship forums, as the party recognizes the youth as the most critical constituency for its political fortunes.
The National Youth Organizer, Salam Mustapha, encouraged the Youth Wing to exhibit courage, attitude, and fortitude in order to break the eight and create a historic legacy that will be remembered for generations to come.
He acknowledged the challenge of winning elections three times in a row and expressed the determination of the National Youth Wing to bring more innovation on board to reach out to more young people who will join the party and uphold its traditions.
He also announced that the Mentorship Forum would visit all regions where the NPP operates, to train and shape young minds into resourceful leaders for the party and the nation.
Mr. Mustapha emphasized that Ghanaians can now distinguish between a good government and a bad one.
He said, “A bad government focuses on investing in guinea fowl, while a good government prioritizes building schools, providing free SHS, constructing 111 hospitals at once, and bringing in over 300 ambulances at once, all for the betterment of the country’s citizens.”
He stressed that grooming good and responsible leaders for the party and the nation is a crucial responsibility of the National Youth Wing, and the Mentorship Forum will play an important role in achieving that goal.