General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said that the Volta Region must become a stronghold for the Party that can't be moved.
Fifi Kwetey said that the NDC's hold on the Region as a stronghold had weakened in recent years because locals were less likely to identify with the Party. On the other hand, the NPP's strongholds were still doing well.
Mr. Kwetey was at Dzodze in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region to open a regional retreat for Regional Executives of the Party. The theme of the retreat was "Empowering Our Base for Victory in 2024."
He said that the Volta Region was still where the NDC started and where it should be based, even though the Party no longer had a monopoly in the north of the country.
"Volta is the region where saviors of the nation come from as far as this country is concerned, but we need to know who we are, and somehow we do know who we are, and we need to start appreciating who we are.
"Volta must like and support NDC no matter what. It should be as important as a religion. We need to make sure that our people know that this is who we are. And I think that if we knew who we were, people in this Region wouldn't lose interest in this party.
He said that a close look at what goes on in the Ashanti Region and the Eastern Region shows that the people there know that their Party is the NPP, no matter how badly it does.
"Because they like it and see their party as a religion in some way. Even though your religion might not be the best, it is still your religion. It's up to you to make sure you fix it and make changes."
The General Secretary then said, "We need to make sure our people understand that this is who we are. There's nothing wrong with it.
"If you talk to some of our young people from Volta, they are proud to say, "Yes, we are not like our fathers and uncles, and we don't think we should keep doing that."
He said that the NPP had been able to stop people from joining the Party and was taking away the region's political history.
"It's our job to make sure that our kids stick with this foundation and help make it better. For us, the NDC should be a lot more than just a Party. It ought to be a faith."
Mr. Kwetey asked for "better coordination" so that the needs of the Party could be met. He also said that Voltarians stayed the most loyal to the Party and kept it popular across the country.
He said that this is why the Region needs to be more creative if it wants to lead the Party. He also said that the Party should work more closely with the diaspora and make sure that these communities get their fair share of power.
Some National and Regional Executives and Members of Parliament from the Region were at the four-day retreat to help the Party plan for the upcoming general elections, which they hope to win.
Chairman of the National Council of Elders Dan Agbodakpi, who oversaw the opening, said that party leaders must work together with MPs and other stakeholders, especially the grassroots, to stay strong.