The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, popularly known as COKA, has pledged to run an open, inclusive and transparent leadership that embraces the media as a key partner in rebuilding the party.
He said his administration would maintain an open-door policy towards journalists and media organisations, stressing the importance of continuous engagement, mutual respect and collaboration between the party and the media.
COKA made the commitment at a dinner interaction with journalists in Kumasi, where he underscored the critical role of the media in strengthening democracy, promoting national development and shaping public discourse.
According to him, no political party could effectively communicate its policies, programmes and vision to the Ghanaian people without maintaining a cordial relationship with the media.
He acknowledged that the NPP, like any other organisation, may have made mistakes in the past and appealed to journalists to forgive the party where it had erred while helping to reshape its public image ahead of future political contests.
COKA noted that the Ashanti Region remained strategically important to the fortunes of the NPP and, therefore, called for stronger collaboration between the party and the media to communicate its message and vision to the people.
“We need you to project us. We are ready to work with you. Our doors are always open for engagements,” he told the gathering.
He said the media had an important responsibility to hold political leaders accountable while also drawing attention to development challenges confronting communities across the region.
The Regional Chairman therefore urged journalists to balance their watchdog role with development-focused reporting that highlights issues affecting the Ashanti Region and contributes to finding solutions to them.
He expressed confidence that sustained engagement between the NPP and the media would help rebuild trust, improve communication and create a better understanding of the party’s programmes and policies.
COKA further assured journalists that his administration would remain accessible and would work to strengthen the relationship between the party and the media as part of efforts to rebuild the NPP’s structures and reconnect with the Ghanaian electorate.
