NDC Boycotting The Media At A Time NPP Is Building Stronger Relationship With Journalists?

When I chanced upon the list of media houses the NDC has threatened to boycott, I asked myself what is this party doing to itself? Stabbing itself in the back?

How can it take such a decision at a time the ruling New Patriotic Party is working hard to improve upon its relationship with journalists?

I don't think boycotting the media was a sound move, especially as the electioneering season draws closer.

Then later, I read on Peacefmonline that Communications Director of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, has urged the media to ignore the list, describing it as fake.

I don't know for sure whether the list was actually fake or the NDC was forced to rescind its decision of boycotting those media houses; I think 10 of them in total, with the powerful twi broadcast station, PeaceFM.

But I know for sure that the NPP Government is actually busy cementing its relationship with the media. For the first time, there is going to be a state-of-the-art conference room for journalists at the Ministry Of Information.

And what sense would it have made had the NDC boycotted those media houses when its strongest rival, the NPP is scheming hard to 'romance' them?

Prior to the coming to office of the Akufo-Addo's administration, the Ministry of Information's Conference was one of least furnished conference halls. From broken chairs, to 'colonial' air-conditions that make so much noise, to faulty microphones, among others.

Things are changing at the Ministry for the better and the environment which hitherto was taken over by grass, with smelly washrooms, is now a conducive place to visit, and there are still room for improvement. Thanks to Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and his two deputies.

I was told President Akufo-Addo instructed the refurbishment of the Ministry of Information's Conference Hall so that journalists who report from there do their work in comfort. The refurbishment exercise has been ongoing since the beginning of this year and the last time I visited the Ministry, I was like 'wow,' so superb.

But not only that. There has been significant change in the way public relations departments of many ministries relate to journalists since this government came to power.

From the Railways Development Ministry, to Sanitation, Works and Housing, Information, Aviation, among others, there appears to be a growing bond of friendship between government's communicators and journalists.

Most government's ministers I have come across and worked with personally have also been very warm in their interactions with journalists.

The likes of Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Railways Minister, Joe Ghartey, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, Sanitation Minister, among others, have strived to build excellent relationship with the media. Not a day Mr. Oppong Nkrumah will see you and not greet and seek to enquiry how you faring, so is Mr. Ghartey and the rest.

The Roads and Highways Minister, Amoako Attah, recently won my heart when he addressed journalists at the Ministry of information's Meet the Press Series. He sounded so media friendly and even urged journalists to feel free and approach him anytime any day on information they want about his ministry or the roads sector.

Mr. Amoako Attah spoke so well of how politicians are ideally supposed to relate to journalists.

So, hearing that the NDC was boycotting the media at a time its opponent, NPP, is working hard to establish a strong relationship, was somewhat weird to me.