Comrade Basiera Saankara, aspiring National Youth Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has unveiled an ambitious youth leadership development initiative, the John Mahama Young Leaders Fellowship (JM Fellows), during an engagement with party faithful and delegates at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale Campus, on Friday, October 30, 2026.

The proposed initiative, which will serve as the NDC Youth Leadership Training and Mentorship Programme, seeks to identify, train, mentor and deploy promising young NDC members into mainstream Party structures at the branch, constituency, regional and national levels.

The JM Fellows programme forms part of Saankara’s broader vision and package of policies he intends to champion when elected into office. His proposal seeks to strengthen youth participation, create structured leadership opportunities and build institutional capacity within the Party. It recognises that although the NDC has nurtured several young political talents over the years, many committed members lack clearly defined pathways into leadership and active service within the Party.

The initiative seeks to address this challenge by bridging the gap between leadership development and leadership deployment, ensuring that young people are not only trained but also given opportunities to serve.

Under the proposed framework, the programme will operate through regular intakes, with participants undergoing structured leadership training, mentorship and practical assignments. Fellows will establish personal development goals upon admission, which will be assessed at the end of the programme to measure their progress and readiness for leadership responsibilities.

Training will be facilitated by experienced party members, professionals and partner institutions, while participants will be tracked and supported into appropriate positions within the Party's organisational structures.

A key feature of the proposal is its emphasis on practical opportunities rather than training for its own sake The programme envisions a system in which every Fellow is assigned a role within the Party, ensuring that the knowledge and skills acquired translate into meaningful service and leadership experience.