Member of the New Patriotic Party’s Communication Team in the Upper East Region Dr. Samuel Akonga says he intends to run for the regional communication Director of the party if proposals to open the position for contest sail through.
Currently, the position is not electable and appoint to it is made by elected regional executives.
But Dr. Akonga has indicated that there are now proposals before the party for the position to be opened up for election by majority of members.
If these proposals are adopted by the NPP at its Delegates Conference, Dr. Akonga said he will run for the Upper East Regional Communication Director of the party “to bring new ideas to elevate the discourse”.
He said he had been pondering the role he could play to return the party to power after its massive defeat in the last elections and following consultation with members, he resolved to seek election to lead the party’s communication in the region.
“Right after the abysmal performance of the party in the just ended 2024 elections, I pondered over and I asked myself, where can I play a role very well to ensure that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia becomes the flag bearer and the eventual winner of the elections in 2028. So, having thought it and also made consultations, people have called on me to go in for that position, the Regional Communications Officer of the NPP,” he stated.
Dr. Akonga believes previous and the current Directors of communication played the role well but observed that the party allowed its opponent to “set the pace” in the region and was not strategic in communicating as a party in power.
He hopes to enhance the NPP’s communication and have it control the narrative so as to make it appealing if he is elected.
“I have realized that within the region, the NDC mostly set the pace. We should be setting the pace for them especially when we are in government. I realized that my good friend Abdallah was setting the pace and we were following which shouldn’t be the case.”
“When in government, you direct the pace. So, as they are in government, we need to direct, put a challenge to them.”
