By Beatrice Oppon & Bridget Baidoo.
Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Professor Amin Alhassan says with the advancement of digital technologies, it is important that Election Management Bodies, EMBs, in the Sub-region adopt effective Communication strategies to enhance relationships with their publics.
He said an effective Communication Department is integral to the successful operations of EMBs and must not be ”a dumping site for redundant staff”.
Professor Amin Alhassan was speaking in Accra at a symposium on Efficient Communication Strategy for Enhanced Relationship between Election Management Bodies and electoral stakeholders in West Africa.
Personnel of the Communication Department, GBC’s DG said, must be abreast of the Media ecosystem and be proactive to prevent crises.
”EMDs must be ready to deal with both usual and unusual problems. Part of the communication strategy of an EMD must include crisis communication.
EMDs should continue to assess their national risk factors and continually adjust their communication strategies to take care of fall out from Media Channels that have a large audience within our countries with a commensurate degree of responsibility”, according to Professor Amin Alhassan.
A Deputy Chairman in Charge of Operations at the Electoral Commission, Samuel Tettey said democracy in the Sub-region has advanced in the midst of challenges such as bad governance and the Covid- 19 pandemic. He prescribed that EMBs can perform their mandate effectively in an atmosphere of peace.
”It is a reflection to mention that in spite of many threats, the sub-region has made appreciably strive towards its expansion of democracy. Thus, the growth of democracy in West Africa has seen some advancement. It is important to note that though EMDs are not the same in structure and composition, they all have the primary duty to uphold the dignity and fundamental rights of the citizens by ensuring that they deliver elections that are true expressions of the will of the people”.
