For now, it is more of an in-house or in-service training programme and therefore the school does not need a NAB accreditation, he told the Daily Graphic in an interview.

“The party does not need accreditation to run its internal programmes. If in the future we expand the training to others who require accredited certification, we will then do so,” he stated.

His comment comes after the NAB said they had not accredited the NDC to operate its National Institute of Social Democracy.

The Executive Secretary of NAB, Mr Kwame Dattey, said though the school does not have the NAB’s blessing to operate, it will not be necessary if it will be awarding only certificates.

“As far as we are concerned, our operation doesn’t fall under their rules now. So when the time comes, we will call on them for accreditation. For now, we are not an institute that is demanding the NAB’s blessings. We don’t need it for now. We are not running any full programmes for our members. That will be in future,” he stated.

Maiden admissions

Meanwhile, the Ghana Institute of Social Democracy has opened its maiden admission for a programme in political leadership & party organisation.

The only course available now is geared towards imbibing in potential students the historical events that led to the formation of the NDC, values and principles that underpin the social democratic ideology of the NDC and how the ideology has been used in governing in different countries including Ghana.

The course outline and module covers the history of the NDC, the philosophy, principles and practice of social democracy, political leadership  and party organisation and political activism.

The acting Registrar, Mr Peter Boamah Otokunor, in a statement said the course would run for a day on Friday, September 1, 2017 at the party’s head office.

He added that any member of the NDC or anyone who shared in the ideology of the NDC and could read and write the English language qualifies to apply before Wednesday, August 23, 2017.

The school, which was launched by the party last week, sought to imbibe in young people the ideals of social democracy.