The race for the Central Regional Organizer position of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has gathered fresh momentum following the successful filing and clearance of nomination forms by Comrade Joseph Mensah Abakah, popularly known as Commander 1, who is positioning himself as a strong voice for grassroots empowerment within the party.
Commander 1’s entry into the contest comes amid growing enthusiasm among sections of the party faithful across the Central Region’s 23 constituencies, as he rolls out what he describes as a practical roadmap to improve the welfare and economic fortunes of party foot soldiers.
At the heart of his campaign is the 3M Agenda, anchored on Mechanism, Mobilization and Monitoring, which seeks to move beyond political promises and establish a structured system through which party members can access welfare support, business opportunities and skills development.
Speaking after securing clearance to contest, the aspirant underscored the need for the NDC to rethink its approach to grassroots welfare, insisting that the party cannot achieve meaningful empowerment through rhetoric alone.
“This is how serious and formidable political organizations do it. We cannot continue to run welfare from Accra and expect it to reach the last branch executive at the polling station,” he stated.
Under the Mechanism pillar, Commander 1 is proposing a decentralised welfare system designed to bring party support closer to the people at the constituency and branch levels. The proposal includes a dedicated Party Welfare and Enterprise Directorate, the appointment of regional and constituency welfare officers, and a verified database of more than 38,000 branch executives.
The plan further seeks to establish district-level cooperatives in transportation, farming and skills development, with a structured support system that will take beneficiaries through training, the provision of start-up kits and mentorship to help them build sustainable livelihoods.
Turning to Mobilization, the NDC aspirant is proposing the establishment of a sustainable Party Enterprise Fund, financed through earmarked party dues and contributions from political appointees. The fund is expected to serve as a dedicated resource for supporting grassroots business initiatives and improving the economic independence of party executives.
He also plans to create a liaison desk to connect qualified party members to available opportunities under YouStart, the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) and agricultural support programmes. Strategic partnerships with private-sector players, backed by memoranda of understanding (MOUs), would also be pursued to secure subsidised equipment and practical training for beneficiaries.
On the Monitoring front, Commander 1 is promising a transparent and accountable system intended to ensure that party resources reach deserving members without undue political influence or preferential treatment.
Among the proposed measures are publicly accessible eligibility criteria, the elimination of protocol lists, constituency-based disbursement of resources and the publication of quarterly reports to keep party members informed about the implementation of the programme.
To give branch executives a direct channel to demand accountability, the agenda also proposes a dedicated WhatsApp and USSD feedback system. Through this platform, members would be able to check their status, verify their eligibility and report suspected cases of unfair treatment.
Commander 1 maintains that the 3M Agenda will help tackle the challenge of elite capture, where opportunities and resources risk being concentrated among a privileged few, while the ordinary party member who works tirelessly at the grassroots is left behind.
His proposed blueprint places grassroots welfare, economic empowerment and transparency at the centre of his bid for the Central Regional Organizer position, with the broader ambition of building a more motivated, economically empowered and effective party base across the Central Region.
As the contest takes shape, Commander 1’s message is clear: grassroots commitment must be matched with tangible benefits, and party foot soldiers must have a fair opportunity to share in the opportunities created by the organisation they help sustain.
