NPP still chasing up NDC in the communication game

It is obvious the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is still exhibiting symptoms of what can be rightly diagnosed as incurable communication malady the party suffers when in government; a condition that works to the advantage of the opposition party, and this time the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The New Publisher has cited several examples in our previous editorials to back this view but as usual, those who should read and take a cue are standing akimbo gazing with a gleeful glee on their faces, completely unperturbed.

In the complex game of political communication, perception counts a lot therefore it is funny how the NPP has consistently allowed the narrative to be that the party in government is not as caring about the needs of the people as the NDC does care.

If the party in government knew it was about to reopen the land borders which were closed as part of the COVID-19 protocol measures, why did it have to wait forever until the NDC took the matter up very aggressively as a political campaign strategy, to the admiration of the electorate, before the NPP announced the borders would be opened?

By the time the announcement was done, persons who were affected by the prolonged closure had been told by the NDC that it would do everything to compel the NPP government to open the borders.

Indeed the NDC Minority in Parliament even took the matter up officially and former President John Mahama also spoke vehemently in favour of the opening and accused the NPP government of being insensitive, then, voila, government announces and gives assurances the border would be opened as if it was compelled by the NDC.

Which of the two parties would the electorates give the credits to?

A similar scenario is playing out again with the issue of the cost of Rapid COVID tests at Ghana’s airport both for nationals and foreigners. The NDC Minority in Parliament has set Wednesday March 30, 2022, to picket at the Kotoka International Airport to protest the continued mandatory COVID-19 testing for arriving passengers.

It has officially informed the Ghana Police Service about the planned protest.

This issue of mandatory COVID test and the cost involved has been a matter of popular public complaints for a very long time and the style adopted by the NDC Minority in Parliament, would certainly win the hearts and minds of the public.

How is the NPP, both as a party and as a Government responding? They are not bold, vocal and direct with clear explanations on why the COVID test at the airport should cost $50 and $150 per head per test for nationals and foreigners respectively.

Once again, it is predictable that Government would sit back, watch the NDC score all the points, start the picketing, make it gain popularity before finally Government would respond and reduce the rates.

If that happens, which of the two parties would take the credit?

The New Publisher has said several times that the party in Government seem to take for granted the fact that effective Public Relation and information dissemination goes beyond sending passionate party officials to appear on radio and television talk shows to yell out one-sided-bias party positions as though there is no difference between political propaganda and effective Public Relations.

Meanwhile the same party is blessed with some of the best brains in Public Relations including but not limited to professionals like Oboshie Sai-Cofie, Madam Elizabeth Ohene, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Nana Akomea and several others.

No human being is born a PR professional. It is a skill that requires training and constant training and the paradigms of how it functions is not static. PR is planned, deliberate, coordinated and maintained by persons who are trained and tasked for that service.

Government better up its PR game or continue to suffer the political consequences barely two years and nine months to general elections in a country that voted for a hung Parliament.