As the National Democratic Congress (NDC) prepares for its upcoming Youth Wing congress, Comrade Steven Nhyira Odarteifio has announced his candidacy, promising to foster a political culture defined by competence rather than wealth.
Odarteifio argues that the future of the party depends on valuing ideas, character, and tangible service over financial status or political connections. He stated emphatically that young people should not have to be wealthy or well-connected to have their voices heard within the party.
“We must build an NDC where a young person with ideas, character, service and a record of impact can rise. That is the politics we owe the next generation,” Odarteifio declared.
A Track Record of Development
Bringing over a decade of experience to the table, Odarteifio’s background spans investment banking, management consulting, and development finance. His career began as an investment analyst at Goldman Sachs in London before he transitioned into public sector development.
He has held significant roles at the Ministry of Finance and the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA). Currently, he serves as the Head of Food Systems at the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Ghana. In this capacity, he coordinated the deployment of approximately US$40 million to bolster food and nutrition security.
His professional achievements include operationalizing 50,000 acres of agricultural land under the Ghana CARES Agricultural Programme and securing US$6.1 million from the Mastercard Foundation to finance smallholder production. Furthermore, he helped mobilize US$80 million in infrastructure support from the Ministry of Finance.
These interventions have collectively improved the livelihoods of over 100,000 young Ghanaians, covering areas such as agricultural equipment deployment, local machinery manufacturing, and support for women processors.
Vision for the Youth Wing
Odarteifio believes his blend of experience in policy, finance, and grassroots development is what the NDC Youth Wing needs. He aims to support President Mahama’s government and strengthen the party’s base by delivering economic results.
Addressing the youth, he delivered a rallying cry: “To every young comrade who feels unseen… your future cannot be chained to somebody else’s definition of when you are ready. Your readiness must be judged by your ideas, your service, your character, your impact and your ability to deliver.”
Odarteifio is expected to formally file his nomination to contest in the upcoming Youth Wing congress.