The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Upper West Regional Youth Wing and the Tertiary Education Institutions Network (TEIN) held their 2026 regional retreat at the Grand View Hotel in Wa, with a strong call on members to prioritise party unity, issue-based campaigning, and transparent job distribution.

Organised under the theme "Sustaining the Gains: Empowering the Youth for the Future", the gathering brought together parliamentary caucus members, regional executives, constituency organisers, TEIN patrons, and student delegates across the region.

The event served as the official launchpad for Upper West Regional Youth Organiser, Basiera Saankara, who declared his bid to contest for the position of NDC National Youth Organiser.

Addressing the delegates, Saankara highlighted his twenty-year journey of party service, spanning roles from assembly member and presiding member to district chief executive and regional youth organiser.

"Leadership is not about tenuous promises; it is about solid records. My record is one of service, one of organising, one of grassroots leadership, and one of unwavering commitment to the National Democratic Congress," Saankara stated, urging delegates across the country to support his vision for a resource-empowered "Green Army".

Upper West Regional Minister Charles Lwanga Puozuing rallied delegates to support home-grown candidates vying for national executive positions, specifically naming Basiera Saankara for National Youth Organiser and former Regional Youth Organiser Mutiu-Rahman for National Vice Chairman.

"If your home will not support you, who else will support you? It is important that when they sit around the cake, and it is being shared among the 16 regions, the Upper West Region will be part of the table," Mr Puozuing remarked.

Mr Puozuing further cautioned aspirants and party youth against character assassination and internal acrimony as internal party elections approach, emphasising that internal contests should be driven by ideas rather than vilification.

On his part, Member of Parliament for Daffiama-Bussie-Issa, Dr. Sebastian Ngmenenso Sandaare, representing the Upper West Parliamentary Caucus, insisted that youth empowerment must move beyond slogans into equitable economic opportunities and transparent employment distribution.

Quoting the traditional Dagaare maxim "Ka di yɔŋ, Kpi yɔŋ la" (When you eat alone, you die alone), Dr. Sandaare cautioned against the monopolisation of opportunities.

"Empowerment is not the talk that we will have here. When you get one, give one to your brother or your sister. Some cannot chop all and expect the youth to join you in singing 'power now-now.' If 10 jobs come to the region, let there be transparency through the party structures down to the branches," Dr. Sandaare stressed.

Chairing the occasion, NDC Upper West Regional Chairman Abdul-Nasir Saani (popularly known as Chairman Bunas) appealed to the youth to exercise patience and discipline as the government rolls out its development programmes.

He urged TEIN members and youth activists to actively research and defend the government's reset agenda against opposition narratives.

Delivering a solidarity message on behalf of TEIN patrons, UBIDS TEIN Patron, Prof. Fauster Agbenyo, lauded the economic progress chalked up under the administration and charged communicators to aggressively project these milestones.

Prof. Agbenyo likened internal party democracy to the fight of cocks, noting, "When cocks fight, you see blood oozing, but they never peck at each other's eyes. We must fight with wisdom so we can return home and keep the party formidable."

The retreat concluded with additional contributions from Wa West Member of Parliament Peter Lanchene Toobu and Deputy Regional Youth Organiser Joseph Sungbuobu Banye amidst revolutionary songs and chants from youth delegates.