Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, Deputy Majority Leader, says his Saturday waakye session with some of his constituents exposed him to some of the country’s realities.
While the Akufo-Addo administration can boast of much success in the five years it has been in power, he believes that some challenges must be addressed as the party seeks to break the eight-year political cycle.
Effutu MP said during a three-day workshop for the NPP majority group in Parliament that government has a responsibility to respond to people’s needs while deepening the enviable gains made and communicating, marketing, and selling the achievements.
According to him, while these concerns are sometimes unfounded, unpalatable, and unjust, there are times when they are the plain truth, indicating that they are the realities confronting many of those who voted for the NPP to power in order to serve the country.
As a result, he urged the government to view such comments, whether positive or negative, as stark reminders that, while much has been done at various levels to fundamentally transform our country and economy, there is still much work to be done.
According to the Deputy Majority Leader, the party will gain new insights into Political Communication in its many emerging forms in the coming weeks, adding that strategic marketing and communication will be critical in helping us break the eight.
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“Recently, ladies and gentlemen, I sat down to enjoy a ‘Waakye’ with some ordinary citizens of our great nation. It had not been planned. On a beautiful Saturday morning, it was a random act. But, as we ate together, these citizens of our country shared with me the concerns that were bothering them. They discussed the growing challenges confronting their businesses, their concerns about the limited job opportunities available in our country, and the increasing difficulties they face in putting food on their tables.
“They are concerned about the falling value of the Ghana cedi in relation to the US dollar and other major currencies, as well as the never-ending infrastructure deficit in Ghana’s health, energy, education, and road sectors,” he explained.
We must tell the good news about the record number of Ghanaian children who have graduated from our free senior high schools. We must tell the compelling story of the new rail lines being constructed across the country. Finally, we need to tell the story of our new cocoa production record.
“We must sell the story of the modern, relatively inexpensive district hospitals that are being built across the country, as well as many others. Yes, we must tell these stories until every city, township, village, hamlet, settlement, and indeed every citizen of Ghana hears and appreciates the true value of our good works under President Nana Akufo Addo’s administration.
“These records will persuade the good people of Ghana and the international community that, between the NPP and the opposition, we are the only true definition of value for money,” he emphasized.
“To accomplish these goals, we must seize every opportunity to tell the story of our government. We must seize every opportunity to sell and defend our record in the media. Also, we must do everything possible to get our story told more positively on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linked-In, Tik-Tok, Snapchat, and other platforms,” he charged the lawmakers.