Joshua Akamba Biography: NDC National Organiser, Grassroots Advocacy and the Bondae Mining Dispute

In December 2022, Joshua Akamba lost the position he had held for four years, defeated in a landslide by Joseph Yammin in the race for National Organiser of Ghana’s National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Rather than fade from view, Akamba has remained one of the party’s most outspoken grassroots voices, a role that has drawn both loyal followers and, more recently, public controversy.

Joshua Hamidu Akamba, sometimes styled the “Grassroots Captain,” is a Ghanaian politician and long-time NDC party organiser.

He served as the party’s National Organiser from 2018 to 2022 and has continued since then to campaign publicly for the interests of the party’s rank-and-file supporters.

Profile

Rise Within the NDC

Akamba’s public role in the NDC predates his time as National Organiser by several years.

Nigerian and Ghanaian press archives show him serving as Deputy General Secretary and later Deputy National Organiser of the party during the administration of President John Atta Mills, in the early 2010s, a period in which he was already known for blunt public remarks defending the party and its leadership against critics.

National Organiser of the NDC (2018–2022)

Akamba was elected National Organiser of the NDC at the party’s national delegates’ congress in November 2018, defeating rivals including Baba Jamal and Yaw Boateng Gyan with 3,087 of the votes cast.

As National Organiser, he was responsible for mobilising the party’s structures at the grassroots level ahead of the 2020 general election, which the NDC lost.

In later interviews, Akamba pointed to internal organisational failures, including branches he described as existing only on paper, as a significant factor in that defeat.

Losing the National Organiser Race

Akamba’s tenure ended at the NDC’s tenth national delegates’ congress in December 2022, when Joseph Yammin, a former deputy sports minister, defeated him decisively, polling 3,730 votes against Akamba’s 2,035.

Despite losing the position, Akamba has continued to describe himself publicly as a champion of the party’s grassroots supporters and remained a frequent guest on Ghanaian radio and television political programmes.

Continuing as a Grassroots Voice

Following the NDC’s return to power under President John Mahama after the 2024 election, Akamba became a vocal critic of party appointees he accused of neglecting grassroots supporters who had campaigned for the party’s victory.

Speaking on Accra FM in February 2026, he said, “We cannot struggle together in opposition and then abandon the people after victory.” He warned he would “name and shame” appointees who failed to engage with local party structures, while also stating publicly that he had deliberately avoided seeking a government appointment for himself after the party’s win, citing personal principles around honesty and loyalty.

The Bondae Mining Concession Dispute (2026)

In June 2026, Akamba became the subject of media reports alleging that he had accompanied a group of Chinese nationals and men in military-style clothing in an attempted forceful takeover of a mining concession at Prestea-Bondae in Ghana’s Western Region.

According to reports from MyJoyOnline and other outlets, the concession was, at the time, the subject of unresolved litigation at the Sekondi High Court, arising from a dispute between Long Shine Mining Ghana Limited and SWED Mining Ghana Limited over a joint operating agreement. Western Regional Police were reported to have intervened to prevent a violent confrontation at the site.

Akamba denied any wrongdoing, saying on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem programme that he became involved only after being asked to mediate by a relative, and that he arranged a meeting between the two companies at a hotel in an effort to resolve the dispute. He said, “I was there to resolve the issue so they can work together.”

He described Long Shine as a legitimate operator and said he had known the company for seven years. SWED Mining’s director of operations, Kwaku Addy, publicly rejected Akamba’s characterisation of the dispute as “uninformed and misleading,” maintaining that his company remained the concession’s rightful majority owner under a 2019 agreement. A government minister asked about the matter said he had not been formally notified of any issue at the site. No criminal charges against Akamba arising from the incident have been reported.

Death Threats and Public Response

Also in June 2026, Akamba spoke publicly about receiving threats against his life, telling Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem that he had received a phone call in which a caller threatened to stab him.

He said, “Someone called to threaten me that he will stab me in the stomach.” Akamba said he was not afraid of the threats, citing a personal belief in reincarnation, and challenged those questioning his integrity to test his honesty for themselves.

He did not publicly link the threats to any specific individual or the mining dispute reported the same month.

Career Timeline

Sources

• Graphic Online — Joseph Yamin Defeats Joshua Akamba for NDC National Organiser Position
• Asaase Radio — Joseph Yammin Defeats Joshua Akamba for NDC National Organiser Position
• ModernGhana / Graphic Online — Joshua Akamba Is the New National Organiser of NDC
• GhanaWeb — ‘Don’t Abandon the Grassroots’ – Joshua Akamba to NDC Appointees
• YEN.com.gh — NDC’s Joshua Akamba Vows to Name and Shame Mahama Appointees
• Adomonline — Joshua Akamba Sets Records Straight on Alleged Role in Mining Site Seizure
• MyJoyOnline — Minister on Alleged Mining Site Takeover in Prestea Bondae
• Adomonline — SWED Mining Breaks Silence on Bondaye Concession Row
• MyJoyOnline — ‘I’m Not Afraid of Death,’ Akamba Says as He Alleges Threats
• Adomonline — Why I Stayed Away From Appointment Scramble After NDC Win – Akamba

Last updated: September 24, 2026

Zeez

Zeez is the editor and founder of BioOrbit, where he researches and writes biographies of public figures from Nigeria and around the world. With 5 years of experience writing about news, entertainment, sports and politics, Zeez focuses on verified facts, clear sourcing and regular updates. Found an error? Report a correction.