A group of concerned National Democratic Congress (NDC) members in Larabanga, a historic community in the West Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region, have formally petitioned H.E. John Dramani Mahama over what they describe as ongoing marginalisation despite their unwavering loyalty to the party
In a strongly worded petition submitted on December 10, 2025, and addressed to the President via the Savannah Regional Minister, the group emphasized that Larabanga has consistently been a stronghold of the NDC but has received inadequate recognition in terms of appointments and opportunities.
According to the petitioners, the community has historically played a vital role in defending and sustaining the NDC in the Damongo Constituency, even under challenging political circumstances.
They noted that elders, youth and families in Larabanga have made significant sacrifices to ensure electoral victories for the party, yet these efforts have not been rewarded.
“Larabanga has been the NDC’s shield,” the petition stated, adding that the continued exclusion of the community from appointments has created “deep emotional wounds” and growing disillusionment among party faithful.
The group stressed that Larabanga is not a peripheral community but a cultural and spiritual pillar of the Damongo Constituency, and therefore deserves a fair share of opportunities that come with political power.
They argued that equity and justice demand that appointments at both regional and national levels reflect the contributions of all loyal communities within the constituency.
The petitioners also highlighted the spiritual support Larabanga has consistently offered the NDC, noting that local imams regularly pray for the success and well-being of President Mahama and the party.
They described it as “emotionally devastating” that a community that offers such support remains sidelined when opportunities arise.
Raising political concerns, the group warned that the perceived neglect has opened the door for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to make inroads into Larabanga.
They cautioned that unless urgent steps are taken, the community could shift from being an NDC stronghold to a political battleground.
One of the most striking concerns raised in the petition is the comparison with the period when the NPP was in power. The group pointed out that under the NPP, Larabanga produced a Municipal Chief Executive, a Regional Minister and had representation on the Hajj Board appointments they say have not been matched under an NDC government.
They further noted that Larabanga has many qualified professionals, including lawyers, administrators, security experts, economists and development practitioners, who are loyal to the NDC but have not been considered for appointments. Special mention was made of the Kamara family, historically linked to the first imams of the Gonja Kingdom, whose members, according to the petition, have remained active at the grassroots level of the party.
The petition also lamented the plight of party activists who led campaigns and mobilised support for the NDC but now feel embarrassed to return to their communities without tangible evidence of inclusion or reward.
“A few appointments will revive an entire community,” the petitioners argued, adding that the absence of identifiable government appointees from Larabanga has also disadvantaged local youth seeking guidance during ongoing recruitment into security services and other government institutions.
The group appealed to President Mahama to intervene decisively, urging him to ensure that qualified sons and daughters of Larabanga are appointed into national and regional positions, and that the community’s standing within the NDC is restored.
They also called on regional and constituency party leadership to stop sidelining Larabanga, insisting that the community should not only be remembered during election campaigns and forgotten after victory.
The petition, signed by Ibrahim Abu-Nawas, Secretary and Spokesperson for the group, was copied to the National Chairman of the NDC, the Savannah Regional Chairman, the Savannah Regional Council of Elders, the West Gonja Municipal Chief Executive and the Damongo Constituency Chairman of the party.
The petitioners concluded by reaffirming their spiritual and political support for President Mahama and the NDC, while appealing for fairness, inclusion and recognition to heal what they described as long-standing emotional wounds within the community.
Story By: Zion Abdul-Rauf, Larabanga.
