Zongo Caucus UK & Ireland calls out NPP’s gish galloping tactics as distraction from Ghana’s real issues

Our political climate demands truth and accountability hence, Ghanaians must remain vigilant against tactics designed by NPP to mislead and confuse the nation. Recent events surrounding the wild allegations made by Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, Member of Parliament for Assin South, are a classic case of what communication experts and psychologist call a “Gish Gallop” which is a method where an individual overwhelms the public with a barrage of misleading claims to divert attention from the real issues.

The Zongo Caucus of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) UK and Ireland expresses deep concern over how Reverend Fordjour’s unfounded claims have dominated national discourse. At the heart of the controversy are his statements suggesting that two aircraft that landed at Kotoka International Airport were involved in drug trafficking and money laundering. These statements, he claimed, were based on “credible intelligence.” Yet, when pressed for evidence by national security agencies and even the President’s directive for cooperation, Reverend Fordjour failed to provide a single shred of proof. Worse, he distanced himself from his own statements, claiming they were made on behalf of a parliamentary committee.

The government has rapidly come out to the public with detailed accounts from aviation and security authorities, providing clarifications that the aircraft in question were involved in routine and legitimate activities. One was an air ambulance that developed a technical fault and required crew rest and repairs. The other was a cargo plane carrying oil drill equipment, which had to make a stop in Ghana for a regulatory security scan. Both underwent full inspections, and no illicit substances or suspicious activities were found.

Why, then, would a Member of Parliament make such damning claims without evidence?

The Zongo Caucus echoes the position of the National Communications Officer Sammy Gyamfi, when he argued that the motive appears to be political which is a desperate attempt by the NPP to sow mistrust in the current administration. By dangerously weaponising falsehoods, the NPP seeks to distract Ghanaians from the real issues of the nation including their governance failures, economic hardships they subjected the nation to their past 8 years, and loss of public trust following their poor showing in recent elections.

This isn’t just about one individual’s irresponsible remarks. It’s about a broader strategy of misinformation, misrepresentation and mass marketing of falsehood, a playbook where politicians use dramatic but baseless claims to manipulate public opinion. This is precisely the danger of “Gish Galloping”: while the public scrambles to fact-check one lie, dozens more are thrown into the mix. It’s a deliberate ploy to exhaust our attention and erode our ability to focus on what truly, the matters are including; Cancellation of E-Levy, immediate payment of nursing allowance, tremendous national recovery by ORAL and many busting of looted wealth of the nation from ECG to fake money laundering.

Ghanaians deserve better. Our democracy thrives on informed citizens, credible institutions, and responsible leadership. It is essential that media platforms, civil society, and everyday citizens reject these diversionary tactics. Reverend Ntim Fordjour’s failure to cooperate with investigations should be a wake-up call. Let us not allow misinformation to hijack our national conversation geared toward our collective development.

We must stay focused by refusing to allow NPP to feed the nation with manufactured scandals and rather, endeavour to focus on rebuilding our nation, holding leaders accountable, and ensuring that the truth, not political theatrics, guide our collective future.

Indeed, WE shall build the better Ghana That WE deserve.

God Bless Our Homeland Ghana.