Bright Kwashie Ege, Acting Volta Regional Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has pledged to introduce a comprehensive insurance package for party officers, improve constituency offices and help unemployed party members access employment opportunities if elected substantive Regional Secretary.

The proposed initiatives form part of his seven-point agenda aimed at strengthening the party's structures, improving members' welfare and positioning the NDC for victory in the 2028 general elections.

Ege, who assumed the acting position following the appointment of his predecessor, James Gunu, as Volta Regional Minister, has successfully filed his nomination to contest the substantive position.

He said he was seeking to build on his experience as Deputy Regional Secretary for nearly eight years and Acting Regional Secretary for almost two years to advance the party's interests in the region.

He said his ultimate goal was to strengthen the party's grassroots structures, protect the interests of its supporters and secure victory for the NDC in 2028.

Reflecting on his contribution to the party's electoral performance, Ege said the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) share of votes in the Volta Region declined from 14.75 per cent in 2020 to approximately 8.75 per cent in 2024 during his tenure as Deputy Regional Secretary, when he helped coordinate party activities.

He pledged to reduce the NPP's share of votes in the region to below five per cent in the 2028 general elections if delegates give him the mandate to lead the regional secretariat.

Insurance scheme for party officers

A major component of his campaign agenda is the introduction of an insurance scheme to protect party officers who work across communities and undertake political activities on behalf of the NDC.

According to Ege, many party officers perform their duties without insurance protection, leaving them financially vulnerable when accidents or other unforeseen incidents occur.

He recalled witnessing an incident during the 2024 general elections in which a party supporter riding a motorbike to campaign in a village lost his life in an accident without insurance coverage.

He said the incident reinforced his determination to prioritise the welfare and safety of party workers.

The proposed scheme would initially cover the 504 constituency executives in the Volta Region before being extended to branch executives and other party officers, depending on the success of the pilot programme.

Ege said the initiative would provide some level of financial protection for party officers and motivate them to perform their duties effectively.

Improved constituency offices

Another key promise is to improve the standard of party offices across the region's 18 constituencies.

He observed that only three constituencies currently had what he considered befitting party offices, leaving the remaining constituencies in need of suitable facilities to support their administrative activities.

He pledged to coordinate efforts to ensure that every constituency had an appropriate party secretariat from which executives could organise their activities.

“The spirit of the party sits in the Volta Region, and it is only proper for us to present ourselves decently,” he said.

Employment support for party members

Ege also promised to support unemployed young party members by coordinating efforts to help them access employment opportunities.

He noted that many young, educated and qualified NDC members volunteered their time and skills to support the party but continued to face financial difficulties because they were unemployed.

He argued that helping such members become economically self-reliant would enable them to contribute more effectively to the party's activities.

Digitalisation and stronger communication

Digitalisation of the regional secretariat is another priority on his agenda.

Ege said he would improve the party's administrative operations and strengthen communication between the regional, constituency and branch levels.

He explained that the proposed system would ensure that information from the regional secretariat reached party members more quickly, reducing delays associated with the existing communication process, where information passes through constituency executives before reaching the branches.

The objective, he said, was to ensure that members at all levels received timely information about party activities and decisions and remained abreast of developments within the organisation.

Beyond the proposed welfare and administrative reforms, Ege pledged to coordinate the party's various departments to improve its campaign preparations ahead of the 2028 general elections.

He said the Regional Secretary had a responsibility to link the departments and ensure that they worked effectively towards achieving the party's electoral objectives.

Ege expressed confidence that his experience, coupled with the proposed reforms, would strengthen the NDC's structures and improve its electoral fortunes in the Volta Region.