Following the campaign launch, Alhassan Mbalba is on the verge of being re-elected as Chairman of the UK/Ireland Chapter of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

On Tuesday, December 27, 2022, the incumbent Chairman for the NDC UK/Ireland chapter, cemented his bid for re–election based on hard evidence of the successes chalked up by his administration in the last four years.

The occasion brought together stalwarts within the party in the UK and other chapters in the diaspora.

In attendance were the Chapter Executives seeking re-election: Secretary, Michael Dzidula Kudiabor, and Vice Chairman, Francis Torto, and Awal Zibrim a youth organiser.

Awudu Sannie, the incumbent deputy chapter secretary and aspiring youth organizer, was also present. Gladys Agalga and Victoria Amoabil are contenders for deputy women’s organiser.

Mr. Jonathan Thompson of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) gave the opening remarks by highlighting Chairman Mbalba’s personal qualities, such as providing transformational, interactive, reflective, and consistent purposeful leadership.

The campaign team for Mr. Mbalba is made up of Campaign Manager Christian Aboagye, Deputy Campaign Manager Mr. David Kofi Dadzie, and Campaign Advisors Adelaide Manu and Rebecca Kwofie.

David Owusu and Muna Abdallah were also members of the campaign team.

Mr. Alhassan Mbalba holds a BA in Social Work with Political Science from the University of Ghana, Legon, and an MSc. in Advanced Social Work (Leadership and Management) from the University of Westminster, UK.

He also has a law degree (LLB) from the University of London and is currently studying for a professional legal course.

As a social worker who has risen through the ranks to the managerial level, Mr. Mbalba has actively been one of the key pillars within the NDC UK/Ireland Chapter for a very long time, and he has indeed seen it all from being in government as a party and in opposition.

Indeed, he has rich leadership experience from previous chapter chairpersons that managed the affairs of the NDC UK/Ireland chapter in the last two decades.

Having served as a Deputy Chapter Secretary, it is not surprising that the last four years of his administration have seen accelerated growth of the chapter in its membership drive and impact in Ghana and other diaspora chapters.

Touching on his manifesto, Chairman Mbalba intends to continue the unprecedented membership drive chalked by his administration in anticipation of the full implementation of ROPAL.

He further stated emphatically that he would continue to inaugurate new branches across the UK/Ireland and further revamp dormant branches going into 2024.

He hastened to add that he was going to streamline the recruitment and registration of new members to make the process robust, proactive, and stress-free for potential members to join.

Chairman Mbalba, as an astute member of the Chapter who holds and believes in integrity and has been an active crusader of this virtue even outside of politics, alluded to his fervent, persistent, and deliberate effort over the last four years to ensure financial accountability among the Chapter's rank and file.

He intends to proceed further by appointing an internal auditor, as enshrined in the party’s constitution, to oversee the day-to-day spending of the chapter. This, according to him, will be made public at an appropriate forum.

To further strengthen his commitment to accountability, Chairman Mbalba stated that "the chapter treasurer shall prepare and present quarterly financial statements to the chapter and branch leadership."

Again, the fundraising committee will also be well-resourced to start raising funds for the presidential and parliamentary Election 2024. Monies generated will also be made public for transparency and accountability.

Similarly, under the leadership of Mr. Mbalba and in consultation with the incoming chapter treasurer and other executives, there will be a more robust means for collecting the chapter and party headquarters' share of the dues from branches every quarter.

On the third pillar of his manifesto, the incumbent chairman will set up a policy initiative and campaign strategy committee whose work will be to present the position of the chapter on the 2024 manifesto to Accra.

The committee will furnish the chapter with holistic campaign strategies for 2024 and how the chapter can actively support the entire process.

To foster unity and coherence within the chapter, Chairman Mbalba intends to build a more democratic and inclusive chapter. Chapter activities will be rotated among the various branches in the Chapter, and he also put a persuasive case forward to the national head office for every country within the Chapter, thus allowing Scotland, the Republic of Ireland, Wales, and Northern Ireland to have a representation on the Chapter Executive Committee.

The chapter will be grouped into zones such as the southern zone, midland, and north and west to ensure easy coordination and joined-up thinking.

Again, it is imperative that the number of chapter executives is increased to include two deputies for some portfolios after broader consultation with the national leadership in Accra.

Chairman Mbalba will further work with other Ghanaian political parties in the UK to form an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) in the UK, where a roundtable discussion will be carried out on issues like ROPAL, Ghana Card, etc.

Chairman Mbalba will again revamp the communication team to make it more vibrant in terms of the dissemination of information and proactively contributing to national issues in Ghana.

Mr. Mbalba intends to put the chapter’s radio equipment to beneficial use and create vibrant platforms and social media handles where the policies of the NDC can easily be articulated.

Responding to some of the accusations leveled against him, Chairman Mbalba was very frank about how occasionally his firm stance on issues in the interest of the party did not sit well with a few individuals within the chapter.

This was a risk he saw as part of the job of Chapter Chairman for the United Kingdom and Ireland.

He, as the substantive Chairman, has grown to accommodate all diverse opinions, and after winning the Chapter election in 2018, he deliberately decided to bring on board some of his contenders after his victory.

Though some of the executives have dragged his good intentions and show of leadership in the mud, he is not perturbed but rather poised to continue promoting collective and inclusive leadership because the chapter is stronger together and weaker apart.

He believes the only way to win the election in 2024 is through unity and not being discriminatory on the basis of gender, religion, or tribe to anyone who is in good standing to join the party.

He admonished all aspirants to do so within the confines of the party constitution by campaigning based on issues and not attacking his persona.

In his closing remarks, Chairman Mbalba stated that his victory on January 14, 2023, will propel the chapter to greater heights with the structures he put in place during his first tenure.

He is further optimistic that the silent majority will show up in their numbers and make their voices heard in his favour based on the successes written about by his administration in the annals of the history of the chapter.

By: Team Mbalba