NPP delegates reject youth age cap and regional oversight of polling station elections at National Conference
Delegates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Saturday, July 19, rejected two key constitutional amendment proposals aimed at redefining the party's youth age bracket and shifting electoral oversight from constituency to regional level.
The decisions were made during the party’s National Delegates Conference held at the University of Ghana Stadium in Accra, where over 5,000 delegates gathered to consider 56 motions derived from over 300 amendment proposals submitted by members nationwide.
A key flashpoint was Motion 54, which sought to amend Article 15(4) of the NPP constitution to redefine a youth as a party member "not above the age of 35 years," aligning with international and national definitions. Currently, the party considers anyone "not above 40 years" as youth.
Presenting the motion, Chairman of the Constitutional Amendment Committee, Frank Davies, explained the intent was to streamline the party's definition with prevailing global norms. "Motion 54, amend Article 15(4) of the NPP constitution by defining youth in the constitution to refer to a member of the party who is not above the age of 35 years," he stated.
Information Minister and committee member Kojo Oppong Nkrumah buttressed the proposal, referencing international frameworks: “The age limit for youth according to all the international conventions and laws shows that the highest is 35. The UN puts the youth bracket between 15 and 24 years, WHO says 15 to 29, UNICEF uses 15 to 24, and the African Youth Charter defines it as 15 to 35. In Ghana, the National Youth Authority Act, Act 939, defines a youth as someone between 15 and 25.”
However, the delegates were unconvinced. In a resounding voice vote of “NO,” the motion was shot down without the need for a formal count.
Chairman Davies affirmed the decision: “The ‘No’ has it, meaning we revert to the status quo, which puts the age of youth at not above 40 years.” The decision effectively preserves the eligibility of several current youth wing leaders and keeps the party’s age definition broader than many international standards.
Also rejected was Motion 17, which proposed amending Article 7(30) of the party’s constitution to shift the supervision of Polling Station and Electoral Area elections from constituency officers to the Regional Executive Committee. Under the motion, regional executives would appoint independent supervisors, excluding existing local party officials from managing the process.
Proponents argued the amendment would address conflicts of interest. “Constituencies are directly involved in the compilation of the album for organising Polling Station and Constituency elections. It is therefore prudent that supervision of these elections should be taken to the regional level to absolve it from any conflict of interest,” the motion read.
But the delegates again rejected the proposal, opting to retain the current system where constituency officers supervise grassroots elections. The decision reflects a strong sentiment among the party’s base for local-level control and accountability.
Themed “Rebuilding Together with Our Values,” this year’s conference comes at a critical juncture for the NPP as it regroups following its defeat in the 2024 general elections.
With over 50 motions considered, the conference sets the tone for the NPP’s rebuilding process ahead of the next electoral cycle.
