'One Achievement, One Launch', NPP's New Campaign Strategy?

Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman Manu has rejected criticisms that government's launch of the restoration of the nursing trainee allowance is a waste of resources.

He explained that an extensive publicity for its achievement is important in keeping the electorate informed and guarding against propaganda.

Critics say an announcement of the restoration of the allowance and subsequent payment to students should have been sufficient in demonstrating government's commitment to fulfilling the 2016 campaign promise.

But government granted the fulfilled promise a pomp and pageantry status at the Nursing and Midwifery College of Education in Brong Ahafo regional capital, Sunyani.

The President Nana Akufo-Addo was joined by ministers and students to celebrate the fulfilment of a political promise.

Students were lined up to say 'thank you' to the president and T-Shirts were printed and distributed freely among students.

This is one of several other launches.
The NPP has so far launched its One district One factory, the new National Identification System, as well as the National Planting for Food and Job programme.

The government launched a free SHS logo but it did not stop it from also launching free SHS implementation.

It has also launched a cocoa spraying exercise and there are indications that the establishment of Development Authorities will also be launched soon.

Some sections of the public are wearied about the constant launching and its cost implications for the taxpayer.

But the Health minister insisted the launch are important because what candidate Nana Akufo-Addo publicly promised to do, President Nana Akufo-Addo must publicly declare it done.

"Nana made pledges. He didn't hide in any room to make those pledges. It was in the open, campaign rallies with pomp and pageantry"

"So when he begins to deliver his promises that one should be indoors? Only for journalists to come and report for people to come and tell us that it is never true?"

He said after the NPP lost power in 2008, some communication experts told the media that the defeat was partly because of the under-publicised work of President Kufuor.

Eight years after that defeat, President Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP have learnt the hard way and want a change in communication strategy, he said.

"Let us communicate our successes that one too has become a problem?" he wondered.

Going down memory lane, the Minister said the former Foreign Affairs Minister Hannah Tetteh used state money to launch a booklet containing a government policy that was never implemented.

Listen to the audio below:

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|Edwin Appiah|[email protected]