Senior lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), Dr. Kobby Mensah has advised the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to appoint a marketing savvy as its Communications Director if it wants to ‘break the 8’ in the coming 2024 elections.
Speaking on OilCity Radio’s morning show, Oman Yi Mu Nsem, Dr. Mensah noted that the current political system involves communicators who are not marketing savvy, therefore cannot influence electorates to vote for the parties.
“Obviously within the political system, most of the communicators we appoint in these political parties are people who are politically savvy. They have been in the party for some time and have practice politics for some time.
“But I am talking about a marketing savvy… a marketing savvy understands what we call the consumer behaviour … this means that we the electorates have become like people who buy something …we have so many choices …it is like now the qualities are not the only things we look at,” he said.
According to Dr. Mensah, a lot of voters have become apathetic to the political system.
“For example, there could be two radio stations, one reading the news and the other playing music…people will decide to listen to the music instead because they feel politics is no more beneficial to them.
“They are disappointed in the political system so they choose to follow other issues other than politics. However, if you appoint someone who is marketing savvy and understands consumer behaviour … they understand how choices are made…and so in communicating the party’s political issues and positions, they will bring those understanding to bear and target how to influence consumers better,” Dr. Mensah stressed.
Additionally, he reiterated that regardless of the economic, social, or literacy rate of people, “the average Ghanaian now is not thinking of NPP breaking the 8…they are thinking of the economic situation in the country, the social integration that is going on, and about their health.”
He further suggested that the former Member of Parliament for the Awutu Senya West and Deputy Minister for Communications, Mr. George Andah will be for the NPP vacant position as Director of Communications due to his marketing achievements.
“I will choose Mr. George Andah …. in this country most of us know that in the marketing factors he is one of the prolific marketers in this country championing the marketing course for certain companies…like MTN, GLO and others … and this makes it easier since he is an NPP,” he said.
In response to Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s explanation of the economic woes- blaming Covid-19, the Ukraine-Russia war, and banking reforms, Dr. Mensah described it as a façade.
“It never true…let me ask a simple question…If you are working and you are getting money … you have to save…so that in difficult times you can use your savings …so if you claimed that prior to Covid the economy was doing so well … so the understanding is when we were a robust economy you were saving …now we are in times of difficulties you have to go back our savings …to keep afloat. Now Covid is in and the robust economy has collapsed…how is that possible?
“We were never doing well…it was all propaganda saying the economy was doing well and the Covid exposed them,” he added.
