Steven Nhyira Odarteifio Files to Contest NDC National Youth Organiser Post

Steven Nhyira Odarteifio has submitted his nomination to run for National Youth Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). He is promising to turn the party's Youth Wing into a vehicle for jobs, skills and leadership development.

He filed his forms on Monday, November 9, 2026, at the NDC's national headquarters in Adabraka, Accra, as first reported by Citi News.

Speaking to the media after filing, Mr Odarteifio said part of his motivation was the regular swing of power between the NDC and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). In his view, this pattern reflects a failure to keep younger generations on board over the long term.

“Over the past 30 years, all of us have been tired of the baton changes between the NDC and the NPP. Eight years in, eight years out,” he said.

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He said the party needed a stronger youth leadership structure that could relate to the hopes of young people and build a loyal base of supporters.

Citing the experience of some Asian economies, he argued that consistent policy and stable leadership over long periods were key to economic transformation. His stated ambition is for the NDC to stay in government for 20 years.

“My office shall reshape the entire Youth Wing of our party to ensure that our young people, through the Youth Wing, are empowered to be a blessing to every young person in this country,” he said.

Focus on Jobs and Opportunity

At the heart of his campaign is a plan to move the Youth Wing beyond its usual role of rallying supporters. Under his plan, the wing would also help young people gain access to jobs, finance, technical training, entrepreneurship and markets.

He said the wing could act as a bridge to government initiatives, including the Adwumawura Programme, the National Apprenticeship Programme and the One Million Coders Programme. It could also create new openings in agriculture, technology, skills and enterprise.

The proposal comes as youth unemployment remains a concern. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has previously drawn attention to the extent of joblessness among young Ghanaians, especially those aged 15 to 24.

Professional Background

Mr Odarteifio is a former research analyst at Goldman Sachs. He is currently Head of Food Systems at the World Food Programme (WFP) Ghana, where he coordinates about US$40 million in donor funds for food and nutrition security.

In earlier roles with the Ministry of Finance and the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), he worked on bringing 50,000 acres of farmland into use under the Ghana CARES Agricultural Programme. He also secured US$6.1 million from the Mastercard Foundation and helped raise US$80 million for agricultural infrastructure in three regions.

His campaign says this work has helped widen economic opportunities for more than 100,000 young Ghanaians.

He studied Computer Science at Ashesi University and has more than ten years of experience in investment banking, management consulting, agribusiness, agricultural finance and food systems.

Mr Odarteifio also paid tribute to President John Dramani Mahama and the party's founders. He said the next generation had a duty to build a Youth Wing that is “empathetic, ethical and entrepreneurial”, adding that his professional experience would guide how he leads it.