The former Western Regional Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Famous Tumi-Acquah, has advised the party not to fall for the unprovoked but planned communication antics of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), meant to inadvertently prevent the NDC from educating Ghanaians on the true state of affairs as we approach the December 2024 election.
He suggested to the NDC Party communicators not to pay attention to comments that only make them stop talking about issues affecting the ordinary Ghanaian.
“I have observed that anytime there is any major issue in Ghana, which bothers and affects the daily activities of Ghanaians, the NPP will cleverly throw out something into the public domain. Immediately that happens, you see communicators of the NDC jumping onto what has been thrown out and that becomes topical. Once that happens, the real bread and butter issues become lost in the general discussion.”
“And that has been the game plan of NPP all these years, and a good number of our communicators are somewhat falling for it, whether it’s on TV, radio, or social media.”
In an interview, Mr. Tumi-AAcquah explained that currently, there are a myriad of issues, particularly the “unexplained power losses which is crippling businesses, cutthroat port charges, companies relocating to other countries because of high taxes, blatant corruption in high places, dumsor, etc” which Ghanaians need answers, “but government communicators keep bringing up issues that sway the attention of Ghanaians and rather pitches NDC against Ghanaians and communicators of the NDC appear unable to sustain and keep discussions in perspective, “and fall for the agenda set by the NPP instead.”
He adds: “Make no mistake, the NDC Party communication team at the National, Regional and Constituency levels is doing phenomenal work at setting the records straight and distinguishing themselves from the noisemakers. However, I believe an appreciation of communication strategy on diversion will further enhance our ability to sell the NDC as the best alternative”
“We are discussing the erratic power supply, which is dumsor, no matter how the government wants to color it, galamsey and its effect, the President’s refusal to sign off the LGBTQ+ bill, and gross corruption in the building of the National Cathedral, among others and that should be the thrust and nothing else.”
“The NPP is aware that answers to these issues will form the basis for the decisions of voters going into the December 2024 general elections. Anytime discussions get heated on these issues, the NPP will throw in something frivolous, and the discussion changes.”
According to him, one of the strategies of the NPP is to go after President Mahama and his running mate, and associate the NDC party with frivolous claims “with the connivance of some media houses,” and entreated the NDC communicators to be weary.
“You have heard what is being said about former President Mahama and his running mate. You have also heard about how the NDC is being associated with some recent happenings, including the train accident. Shockingly, that will dominate discussions for some time because the NPP has partners in the media who will craft programmes just to talk about it and clandestinely set a different agenda and the real issues affecting the lives of Ghanaians, most especially Dumsor, will be lost. We should be weary as more of such things will be thrown our way.
“Of course, the Party must defend President Mahama and his vice presidential candidate, but I believe we should find a fine balance between that and telling Ghanaians the direction the country is headed.”
‘Continuously repeat’
While encouraging party communicators to keep presenting the “true state of affairs in the country,” he also urged them to “give Ghanaians a reason why they should vote for the NDC as the best alternative in the next December 2024 general elections, as it will not be a walk in the park.”
“I think our party is not really hitting the centre of the drum to get the best sounds. Our manifesto for the next elections is not out yet. However, it is clear that one of the high points will be the 24-hour economy. I don’t quite remember the last time we spoke vigorously about it. It should have a certain momentum. All shades of it should be pursued with verve.
He said the party communicators should “abreast themselves with words like rhyme, repetition and continuously,” stressing that the NDC must, as a matter of necessity, “continuously repeat the 24-hour economy policy and others yet to be made public, for them to rhyme and create enough reason for the voter to want to vote for us.”
