By Agbaxode Emmanuel
Akatsi (V/R), Sept. 17, GNA – Mr Japhet Festus Gbede, a communicator and National Democratic Congress (NDC) activist, has declared his intention to contest the party’s Deputy Communications Officer position in the Akatsi South Constituency.
He said his decision followed extensive consultations with branch executives, ward coordinators, constituency executives, party members, communications teams, elders and other stakeholders within the constituency and the Volta Region.
Mr Gbede said his decision was borne out of his longstanding commitment to the NDC and his desire to contribute to strengthening the party’s communications machinery at the constituency level.
He had unsuccessfully contested the same position in 2022.
He said rather than withdrawing from party activities after the defeat, he continued to serve with the Akatsi South Constituency Communications Team, a commitment which later earned him an opportunity to serve on the Volta Regional Communications Team.
Mr Gbede also served on the Constituency Campaign Team and contributed to the Communications Department and Youth Working Committee Department during the 2024 electioneering period.
He said the experiences had given him a broader understanding of political organisation and the increasing importance of effective communication in contemporary politics.
Mr Gbede, who is also Assembly Member for the Wuxor, Have and Sremanu Electoral Area, a Special Aide to the Ghana Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said the changing media landscape required the party to adopt more strategic approaches to communication.
He said political communication was no longer limited to campaign platforms, radio discussions and party meetings, but had extended to social media, digital platforms and everyday community interactions.
He therefore advocated a communications structure that would be proactive in setting the agenda, communicating the party’s message and responding effectively to misinformation.
“Politics is no longer fought only on campaign platforms, radio stations and political meetings; it is fought every day in the digital space, in our communities, in conversations among young people and increasingly in the minds of voters who form opinions long before election day,” he said.
Mr Gbede said the constituency communications team must also improve the documentation and communication of development projects and other interventions, noting that achievements that were not properly communicated could easily be lost in public memory.
He said communicators should be better equipped to understand political issues, explain government policies, respond to misinformation with facts and effectively communicate the party’s achievements to the electorate.
“I want to contribute to building a communications department that is proactive rather than reactive, organised rather than fragmented, informed rather than impulsive, and persuasive rather than merely loud,” Mr Gbede said.
Reflecting on his 2022 defeat, he said he had deliberately chosen not to allow the outcome to create bitterness or weaken his commitment to the party.
“2022 showed me what it means to lose an election; the years that followed showed me what it means to continue serving,” he said.
Mr Gbede said his continued involvement in party activities after the 2022 contest demonstrated that his commitment to the NDC was not dependent on occupying a position.
He urged delegates to consider his record of service over the intervening years as they assessed his latest bid.
“I bring the humility of yesterday, the experience of today and the determination to help shape the communications future of Akatsi South NDC,” he said.
Mr Gbede pledged to work with the constituency leadership, communicators, branch structures, campaign team and other stakeholders to strengthen the party’s communications machinery.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Agbaxode Emmanuel
Email: [email protected]