The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Hon. Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has announced plans to push for the reintroduction of regular government outreach programmes to bridge the widening gap between the government and the people.
Speaking during his national thank-you tour in the Adaklu District of the Volta Region on Wednesday, October 15, Hon. Nketia said the initiative, which was a hallmark of the late former President Jerry John Rawlings’ administration, allowed ministers and government appointees to engage directly with citizens, explain government policies, and gather feedback from communities.
“So when I finish this thank-you tour, what I’m going to push very strongly in the cabinet is the re-institution of the regular outreaches,” he stated, stressing that such engagements were vital to responsive and participatory governance.
He recalled that during the Rawlings era, outreach programmes were organised every six months, during which government functionaries were divided into ten groups to visit various regions and interact with the public. “We go to explain government policy to them and take feedback from the ground,” he said, adding that the practice enabled officials to evaluate their performance and identify areas that required improvement.
Hon. Nketia observed that the discontinuation of such face-to-face engagements in recent years had created a communication gap between the government and citizens. While acknowledging the role of digital platforms in improving communication, he stressed that technology could not replace physical interaction. “It’s good that social media is trying to bridge the gap, but it’s not complete. Social media cannot replace face-to-face interaction,” he said.
He explained that his thank-you tour was inspired by the NDC’s desire to reconnect with its grassroots base following the party’s remarkable victory in the last elections. “The victory was so outstanding. But we don’t vote at NDC headquarters; voting takes place at the branches,” he noted. “So, if, as a result of the work done by our branches, we are being praised all over, is it not fitting that we should come and thank them for the good work?”
Hon. Nketia stressed that reinstating regular government outreach programmes would help strengthen communication between leaders and citizens, ensuring that public grievances are identified and addressed promptly.
He emphasised that consistent feedback is essential to assessing whether government policies genuinely serve the interests of the people. “We will not wait four years after elections to be confronted with issues that we could have resolved much earlier,” he remarked.
He concluded that restoring the outreach model would deepen accountability, enhance public trust, and bring governance closer to the people — a move he described as crucial to Ghana’s democratic development.
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