Young, energized and articulate: Interview with Ludwig A. Hlodze

Mr Ludwig A. Hlodze is deputy national youth organizer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC). He is also personal assistant to President John Attah Mills and an advisor on the role and place of young people within both the NDC and the new government. We meet at the Castle, which doubles as a presidential palace and working office.

The NDC was founded in 1992 and was in government until it lost out to the National Patriotic Party in 2000. Mr. Hlodze told me that the founder of the party, Mr Jerry Rawlings, former military leader who led the country to democratic elections in 1992, and was President until 2000, had initially laid promising foundations for the active participation of youth both in the government and within the party. However by the time the party lost power in 2000, that dream, along with so many others, appeared categorically lost. Perhaps unsurprisingly the party entered a period of disarray. Most of its former ministers faced prosecution for various cases brought by the new NPP government, while other ministers were concerned with providing for themselves personally after they lost power, than re-building the party's platform.

Hlodze, told me that he first entered politics for the fun and excitement of it in 1992 when Ghana's multi-party system was inaugurated. He had just left school and he and other young people took it upon themselves to reorganize the party. They faced derision from their opponents who mocked and taunted the current president for surrounding himself with directionless kids who did not know what they were doing. Yet the youth rejuvenated the party at grassroots level. They built a powerful support network within the universities. Student leaders in institutions of higher learning provided the intellectual backing for the party at a time when the party needed to defend itself against serious allegations of malfeasance from its opponents. According to Hlodze it is these young people who in their energised, passionate, articulation of the party's position and defense of its traditions saved its reputation in the media and with the general public after the fall from power in 2000.

The NDC youths launched a platform called Youth for Change and embarked on regional "walks" and lecture series mobilizing support in all the parts of the country. The youths were able to fund raise during a time when the party was in crisis and facing a financial crunch. Hlope said the youth were able to build their capacity and a critical mass - everyone from active well wishers to more neutral observers tended to have faith in their agenda and ability to deliver and so when it came to things like fund raising activities they were bound to succeed.

On the contentious issue about youth policy, he said the new NDC government acknowledged the efforts already invested in compiling the draft policy. The party will however shortly review the draft with a view to align it with their social democratic ideology. He said that there was between 50% and 55% representation of the youth in all levels of the party and government respectively. He commented that the current government had surpassed all the previous regimes in giving space to the youth to prove themselves in different capacities including in key commissions in government. All the young people who were appointed in government are highly qualified with different academic and professional qualifications, Hlodze says. Closing the interview he sounds a positive note, telling me this: the undeniable burden of expectation and the challenge to deliver which young people face is ultimately a great blessing - because it makes of every day an opportunity for growth and learning curve.