NDC needs motivated grass roots for victory 2020 — Betty Mould-Iddrisu

The only female national chairperson hopeful of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mrs Betty Mould-Idrissu, has stressed the need for the branches and constituencies of the NDC to be strengthened and made more effective to drive the efforts of the party towards electoral victory in 2020.

In her opinion, motivated and relevant grass roots are, therefore required to make an electoral victory for the NDC possible in 2020.

She further stated that “key to all these is my leadership: a leadership whose doors will not be closed to anyone and a leadership that is abreast of the plight of the grass roots.”

Issues of women and youth empowerment

In a telephone interview with the Daily Graphic yesterday, Mrs Mould-Idrissu, who is on her final leg of campaign across the country to become the first female Chairperson of the NDC, also said an empowered youth and women front was very necessary to propel the party to victory in 2020.

“The issues of women and youth empowerment as well as mobilising and supporting the Zongos, remain cardinal to the quest for NDC victory in the 2020 general election,” she declared.

“When elected as national chairman, I pledge to provide the needed leadership to make the NDC attractive to the youth who comprise  mainly first-time voters,” she stressed.

Accessible leadership

She has, therefore, reiterated her commitment to a leadership that is accessible, determined to build a united front, motivated and relevant branch as well as build a contemporary party with modern ICT tools for NDC victory in 2020.

“Our communication structure needs strategic direction and attention to ensure that the party's policies and programmes are communicated to the grass roots. My term of office as national chairman will see a motivated, resourced and well-equipped communication structure for the party,” she told the Daily Graphic.

She further said the roles played by party executives in constituencies, most of whom operate in the most vulnerable communities, must be rewarded, saying their dedication had enabled the party to succeed, despite all odds, in maintaining hold on the constituencies.

“I shall continue to engage the branch and constituency executives in a candid, cordial and open manner as has been my hallmark with all my interactions on this campaign,” she added.

Four other aspirants

The NDC has slated a national conference for November 17, 2018 after it closed nominations for the various national positions.

So far, four other stalwarts of the party, namely businessman Mr Daniel Anang, the first General Secretary of the party, Alhaji Huudu Yahaya; the NDC’s Director of Elections who supervised the general election in 2016, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, and a former Trade and Industry Minister and former NDC MP for Keta, Mr Dan Abodakpi, are contesting the national chairman  position of the party, currently occupied by Mr Kofi Portuphy who will not seek re-election.

Challenges facing NDC

To address the challenges facing the NDC, Mrs Mould-Idrissu, who is currently a National Vice –Chairperson of the party, stressed the need for a leadership that was not only responsive to the challenges of the NDC but “one with an experienced visionary leader at the helm becomes even more compelling.”

She said her campaign tour of the various NDC branches and constituencies across the country had given her better perspectives of the challenges the constituencies and branch executives faced in their service to the party and was very prepared and determined to work with them to overcome them.

Message

She said her message of ‘accessible leadership’ had been widely endorsed by the majority of the constituencies she had so far visited.

“The call for a leadership that would give power to our branches and their membership is even more clearer and louder,” she stated and pointed out that the party even needed to recognise and appreciate the selfless and untiring efforts of the executives who were always on the move sacrificing their livelihoods to serve the party, with little or no reward.

Safeguarding parliamentary seats

She also underscored the need for the NDC to safeguard all its parliamentary seats and work extra hard to recapture lost seats.

“More needs to be done to recover those seats we lost in 2016,” she admitted.

Mrs Mould-Idrissu, who was the first female Attorney General and Minister for Justice under the Fourth Republic, said her message of gender inclusion and leadership was also emphatically being received in all the constituencies she had so far visited.

She said the call for a woman of substance, courage and competence to lead the NDC to success was even much louder, adding that “I believe that I am their clear choice to lead the party to 2020.”

Summary of Political Activism/Profile:

1992 – Member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC);

1998 – Gold Card Member;

2008 – Member of NDC Legal & Constitutional Committee;

2008 – Member of Ashanti Regional Campaign Team;

2008 – Chair of Legal & Constitutional Committee, National Transitional Team;

2009 – Minister of State & Ghana’s first Female Attorney-General & Leader of the Bar;

2012 – Member of NDC Ashanti Regional Campaign Team;

2014 – Present - Elected National Vice – Chairman, NDC

2016 – Member of NDC Ashanti Regional Campaign Team, Oversight responsibilities for Upper West Region elections; numerous oversight responsibilities for Party in committees on gender, internal elections, party school, welfare, advisory, legal & constitutional & internal & intra party activities; acted as Chair of the party at numerous Functional Executive Meetings & Committees.