Former Dean of Upper East Presiding Members James Gbandan Konzabre declares bid for NDC Regional Secretary

Former Dean of Presiding Members in the Upper East Region, James Gbandan Konzabre, has declared his intention to contest for the position of Upper East Regional Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Mr. Konzabre is entering the race with a broad record of political, professional and public service experience, spanning party organisation, local governance, education, youth development and community service.

His campaign is anchored on what he describes as a record of “Leadership That Works,” with his profile highlighting extensive grassroots engagement and leadership within the NDC.

He served for 16 years as the Upper East Regional Coordinator of the NDC's Tertiary Education Institutions Network (TEIN), a period during which he was involved in organising, mentoring and mobilising young members of the party.

At the local government level, Mr. Konzabre served for four years as Presiding Member of the Talensi-Nabdam/Talensi District Assembly and subsequently spent two years as Dean of Presiding Members in the Upper East Region.

He also served as Assembly Member for the Kulpeliga Electoral Area and was a member of the Assembly's Executive Committee and the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council.

His governance experience includes four years as Chairman of the Assembly's Audit Report Implementation Committee (ARIC) and four years as Chairman of the Public Relations and Complaints Committee.

Within the NDC, Mr. Konzabre has maintained a presence at both constituency and regional levels.

He served as the party's Presidential and Parliamentary Elections Collation Agent for the Talensi Constituency in 2015, 2016, 2020 and 2024 and was also a member of the constituency campaign team during those four election cycles.

He further served as Campaign Coordinator for the Talensi East Zone Campaign Team in 2016 and 2020, a member of the NDC Upper East Regional Youth Working Committee for three years and an NDC representative on the Electoral Commission's District Registration Review Committee in Talensi in 2020.

His political engagements also include serving as a polling agent for former President John Dramani Mahama during the NDC's 2019 presidential primary and as NDC Branch Secretary of Kulpeliga Primary School 'A' for four years.

Mr. Konzabre's professional background is largely rooted in education. He spent 16 years as a lecturer at St John Bosco's College of Education, where he combined teaching with mentoring, coaching, research and community service.

He subsequently served as Head of the Social Studies Unit for four years and Head of the Arts and Social Sciences Department for seven years. He also served as Recording Secretary of the college's Governing Council.

His academic experience extends to the University of Cape Coast and the University of Education, Winneba, where he served as a part-time lecturer for eight and four years respectively.

His research credentials are also documented in academic publications. In 2018, he authored a study on the impact of Ghana's School Feeding Programme on enrolment and retention in the Talensi District.

In February 2026, Mr. Konzabre co-authored a study examining men's views on women's roles in traditional leadership and community development in the Talensi area, published in Social Sciences.

He has also served as a School Improvement Advisor under the Ghana Education Service's SHS/SHTS/STEM Improvement Programme.

Currently, Mr. Konzabre serves as the Upper East Regional Coordinator of the National Apprenticeship Programme, a role he has held since 2025.

His wider public-service record includes membership of the Governing Council and Audit Committee of Gambaga College of Education, the Advisory Board of the Zuarungu Nursing/Midwifery Training College and the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG).

He also has experience in sports administration, having served as Honorary Sports Development Officer of the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly and Sports Master of St John's Junior High School in Bolgatanga.

With the declaration, Mr. Konzabre joins the emerging contest for the NDC's top administrative position in the Upper East Region, offering delegates a candidate whose profile combines grassroots party organisation, local government experience, academic leadership and public service.