In an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show, Professor Mensah explained that he has drastically reduced his participation on social media to ensure he can concentrates on his responsibilities, particularly in advancing the tourism sector.

“I’ve had to focus more on my responsibilities to ensure that tourism reaches its peak, working closely with my colleagues. This includes getting staff paid, improving tourism attractions, and formulating strategies and visions for the sector.

“Those who monitor my social media activity will notice that I have significantly reduced my participation online. It’s because I need to channel my energy into the work at hand,” he stated.

Professor Mensah made it clear that this reduction in online engagement does not mean he has been silenced by the government due to his new role.

“It’s not about having your mouth full, but about fulfilling your responsibilities. I can critique the government’s performance, but right now, my focus is on using my energy to improve the system,” he said.

He noted that his goal is to make a meaningful impact through his vision and work, not through unnecessary commentary on general issues.

“If people listen to me, they’ll realize that I don’t comment on every issue. I am strategic in the issues I respond to. I believe in being impactful with my work, rather than just talking.”

When asked about his stance on the galamsey menace, Professor Mensah acknowledged its gravity but stressed the importance of experts addressing the matter.

“It’s a big issue, but there are people with the necessary expertise to talk about it. Those without competence can only speak to how bad it is.”

Professor Mensah concluded by affirming that his role is to use his skills and competence to address challenges in the tourism sector, ensuring that his work speaks louder than his words.

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In an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show, Professor Mensah, who was an Associate Professor at the University of Ghana Business School(UGBS) shared that he is still engaged in teaching but has scaled back his responsibilities.

“I teach, but I have reduced my workload. Now, I only teach one course, which allows me to focus more on my duties at the ministry,” he said.

Due to his appointment, Professor Mensah has been seconded to the Tourism Ministry, which means his workload has been adjusted accordingly.

“When you are seconded, the university offloads you to the ministry, including your remuneration, and I am now fully dedicated to the ministry. However, I remain in touch with the university,” he added.

Professor Mensah stressed that while he cannot completely remove himself from the academic space, he stays engaged with the university.

“I cannot completely take myself out of the university, so I’m still involved in teaching this one course regularly.”

He also noted that the secondment arrangement allows him to return to his academic position after serving in the public sector.

“When your service to the country is done, and you still wish to go back to your job, the university makes it easy for you to do so,” he said.

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He expressed that his competencies speak for themselves, adding that many people who recognize his skills and work have praised him.

“People know my competencies, and they will tell you when you’re doing well. Some may not be mainstream politicians, but they are political strategists who work and consult behind the scenes” he said in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show, Prof. Mensah.

He noted that when President John Mahama called him about the role, he did not hesitate to accept it but felt elated.

“When I was called, I thought, why not? I was elated” he said.

Prof. Mensah also mentioned his extensive experience in political consulting.

“I have consulted for political parties and politicians for many years. In 2008, I introduced political marketing, which I believed was a new dawn in political consulting.”

He note that his experience continued to grow, explaining that in 2013, he did consultation work for a Member of Parliament and has since worked with several other politicians.

Prof. Mensah believes that his competencies led to his appointment.

“Leadership is mindful of the qualities they need from people. My experience in consulting and leadership positions led me to these public roles” he added.

Asked whether he had worked for the President before his appointment, he clarified, “No, I have not worked directly for the President. But perhaps the leadership of the party has observed me, as I speak on political issues, and they know my worth.”

Regarding his current team, Prof. Mensah shared that GTDC currently has around 25 staff members.

While he said the team is working well, he acknowledged that more hands may be needed in the future.

“For now, the staff number is okay, and they are working hard, but in time, we may need more people.”

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Speaking on the AM Show on JoyNews, he praised the president’s approach to appointments so far, noting a focus on party loyalty, professionalism, and regional balance compared to his predecessor, Nana Akufo-Addo.

“I have no doubt the president will ensure fair representation for almost all regions,” Prof. Mensah remarked, urging Ghanaians to remain patient as appointments unfold.

Unlike Akufo-Addo, who largely avoided reshuffles, he believes President Mahama will adopt a more flexible approach, allowing room for adjustments to meet demands for inclusivity and performance.

He also highlighted key appointments already made by President Mahama, including the Finance, Energy, and Justice Ministers, all of whom have strong ties to the party.

According to Prof. Mensah, this marks a significant shift from Akufo-Addo’s government, where some senior officials lacked strong grassroots connections within the party.

“Under the previous administration, sensitive positions were held by individuals with minimal involvement at the party’s constituency level. President Mahama’s appointments reflect an effort to strengthen party loyalty and connect more with the base,” he explained.

Prof. Mensah acknowledged public concerns about regional representation in ministerial appointments but reassured the public of the president’s commitment to balance.

“President Mahama has ample time to ensure inclusivity. His selections so far also show a focus on gender balance, demographics, and professional diversity,” he added.

On the president’s promise to limit ministerial appointments to 60, Prof. Mensah expressed confidence that this key pledge would be upheld.

“This is a flagship promise, and breaking it would destroy public trust. I believe the president will stick to it,” he stated.

Prof. Mensah concluded by emphasizing that the president’s ability to balance inclusivity, party loyalty, and professionalism will be central to his success over the next four years.

“Mahama’s success over the next four years will largely depend on his ability to strike a balance between inclusivity, party loyalty, and professionalism,” Prof. Mensah concluded.

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According to him, the party’s flagship policy, the 24-hour economy, has become the focal point of election-related discussions, drawing comparisons to the Free SHS initiative of the 2016 election.

Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem on Thursday, Prof Mensah highlighted the diversity and decentralization of the NDC’s campaign.

He noted that, the party’s ability to mobilize youth through a dedicated youth manifesto focused on their specific concerns.

He also praised the NDC for its strategic use of social media, particularly hosting Twitter Spaces to engage with supporters and critics alike.

“The NDC campaign showcases a great deal of diversity and is highly decentralized. In terms of political activities, the NDC has successfully mobilized a significant number of youth and included them in their campaign through the youth manifesto, which addresses specific issues relevant to young people.

“The NDC has effectively utilized social media, conducting several Twitter Spaces on X, hosted by NDC sympathizers and youth leaders, to critique the current leadership. They have aimed to illustrate what their flagship policy, the 24-hour economy, will entail. The innovative concept of the 24-hour economic park has been a creative way to inform the public about this policy. The 24-hour economy has become a central theme for the 2024 election, much like the Free SHS initiative was in 2016,” he said.

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According to him, institutions owe their existence to their customers, who in this case are the voters.

Speaking on JoyNews AM Show, Professor Mensah said that, “Your profitability is a function of the customer’s continuous engagement with you, and so the wisdom in what Ken is actually saying is that if you had promised people, just like companies would promise in their value proposition that ‘if you buy my product, this and that is what you are going to get’, then it is the same way political parties promise voters that ‘we are going to do x and y’.

“Those days you find political parties attributing the reasons they didn’t achieve these promises and try to convince you but in a modern campaign system, you do not do that.

“You first of all own up to your failure, you apologise, and then you can tell your voters your new approach, hoping that they will actually forgive you. So I understand what Kennedy Agyapong is saying, and that is the spirit of political engagement globally.”

His comment comes after the MP for Assin Central urged politicians to apologise to voters for not delivering on various promises.

Speaking at the launch of the NPP Ablekuma South Constituency election campaign, Kennedy Agyapong asked the governing NPP to acknowledge the current economic challenges in the country.

He advised the party to apologise to Ghanaians during its campaign ahead of the upcoming December 2024 General Elections.

Backing this stance, Professor Mensah stated that such an action demonstrates appreciation and respect for voters.

“If the feeling is to vote for you, they do; if they still think you have to go, then of course the decision is with the voter. All we are saying is the new political posturing is that you own up to your failures, you apologise, and you draw up the new way of things that could happen,” he added.

Napo’s comments were made during his unveiling as the running mate for the New Patriotic Party’s flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, in Kumasi.

“He should apologize for the Nkrumah comment. If he doesn’t, it will go down in history that he denigrated a global icon like Kwame Nkrumah. It is appalling. If he becomes Vice President, how is he going to handle a meeting celebrating Nkrumah’s legacy?”

Prof. Mensah criticized Napo’s attitude and emotional intelligence, advising him to manage his emotions better.

“He has to keep his emotions in check even when it is overflowing. If he doesn’t work on that, people will criticize him and rightly so.”

The strategist also questioned the NPP’s approach to Napo’s campaign launch.

“The handlers must recognize that the stage given to him was wrong, knowing the kind of personality they are dealing with. They shouldn’t have given him the campaign style of outdooring, knowing that it is his first time. They should have done the UPSA style that was given to Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang and Bawumia” he stated.

Prof. Mensah noted that, Napo’s speech lacked clear themes and connection to a broader audience.

“No one can point out the key themes he mentioned in his speech. It seemed like he was talking just to the people present. He could not connect to bases in another region. I don’t think he will even get up to 75% of the votes in the Ashanti Region,” he added.

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The academic stated that he is disappointed in the NPP flagbearer because he shies away from some key issues which need immediate attention.

This comes after the Vice President for the first time publicly disclosed his stance on LGBTQ+ issues in his Eid-ul-Fitr message since the anti-LGBTQ bill was passed in Parliament.

Dr Bawumia said, “On the issue of LGBTQ, it is important to note that our cultural and societal norms and values as Ghanaians frown on the practice of homosexuality. Furthermore, as a Muslim, my view on this matter aligns with the position of my religious faith.

“The Holy Quran is replete with verses frowning on LGBTQ acts, including same-sex marriages. My faith is therefore very strictly against the practice of homosexuality, no “ifs” or “buts”. No shades of grey.”

But speaking on JoyNews’ SMS, Prof Mensah cited this delay in addressing such a crucial issue as a prime example of the Vice President’s reluctance to engage when it comes to significant matters.

He noted that the timing of Dr. Bawumia’s disclosure of his stance on LGBTQ+ issues was questionable, as it was overshadowed by the festive season and other topical matters.

According to Prof. Mensah, some issues demand “national character”, “national action” and “political leadership” and he must step up to the plate.

In addition, he also pointed out that Dr. Bawumia failed to address several key issues, including economic challenges and ongoing power outages.

“He runs away from economics. He doesn’t talk about the economic issues anymore. Dumsor, have you heard the Vice President talk about it?

“Geopolitical and economic issues, he shied away from them because there are powerful people in the LGBTQ+ that perhaps he is not able to confront,” he said.

“At the moment when we need judgment, when we need character, when we need leadership, he has failed,” the Political Scientist added.

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The senior lecturer at the University of Ghana failed to impress Ghanaians with his lecture.

Dr. Kobby Mensah said Dr. Bawumia failed to redeem his image for contributing to the economic mess thus cannot be President of Ghana.

Reacting to this on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Opare Ansah said he is not surprised about Dr. Mensah’s critic.

“We all know your stand now for making such comments against Bawumia. I am disappointed in you. Is that how you are failing your brilliant students? You just mark them per what they wear or do without considering their brilliance” he stated.

In the view of Mr. Opare Ansah, the Vice President is still part of the Akufo-Addo government.

“Whatever his views are, he still stands by what the government is doing. However, when he gets the chance, what he will also try his best and do better. There is no ambiguity. He made a profound statement, and part sounded like a joke, but the second half sounded more profound. He traveled and saw firsthand issues to appreciate whatever he says. He consulted very widely before doing that lecture” he added.

Watch full interview in the video below

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A political marketer, Dr. Kobby Mensah, has criticised Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia Bawumia after his lecture to outline his vision for Ghana.

To him, Dr Bawumia failed to redeem himself and justify his inclusion ahead of the presidential elections in December.

Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem Thursday, Dr. Mensah scored Dr. Bawumia 20 out of 100 for his ‘theatrical performance’.

He indicated that, the Vice President “came swinging like a boxer” to play with the minds of Ghanaians.

“Bawumia was just playing with our minds. He saw it as a life and death for him. We didn’t have to find holes in what he said” he stated.

The political marketer said Dr Bawumia employed a flamboyant speaking style but failed to address concerns about his brand.

Dr. Mensah indicated that, given the battered brand of the Vice President, he will not waste his time to find flaws in his address.

The Dr. Bawumia also the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, addressed the nation at the Kofi-Ohene Konadu Auditorium, University of Professional Studies (UPSA).

It was his public address in a long time and his first since his election as NPP flagbearer in November 2023.

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The professor has challenged Gabby’s assertion that family members of the president have an edge when it comes to political appointments because their grandfather gave them a good education.

According to Prof Mensah, the NPP man only made such comments because he had become “soaked in power” as his position is averse to the principles of good governance.

The principle of conflict of interest doesn’t make sense anymore to those who feel they are more educated than all Ghanaians because their grandparents took that seriously than the grannies of all of us.

Gabby, in a recent interview on Star FM, made the point that Akufo-Addo’s grandfather fathered a lot of children who got head starts in life because he took their education seriously.

“… Because they got education early at a time that just a minority of Ghanaians were getting education, it gave them, if you like, to a point a head start.

“I’m just making the point that I don’t know how many of you in this room have a grandfather who had over 100 children?… I did.

“So, he’s appointed and his appointment is just because he’s family member; just forget the fact that he helped to raise money, he put resources in there (his own resources), he was a critical member of the campaign and he was a successful businessman, a private sector person, who has something to contribute,” he said of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

Mr. Agyepong had said that Dr Mahamudu Bawumia cannot be solely held responsible for the current state of Ghana’s economy.

Mr. Agyepong, a former General Secretary of the NPP, urged Ghanaians to be lenient towards Dr Bawumia, emphasizing that as Vice President, he is not the ultimate decision-maker in the government.

He called for public support for Dr Bawumia in the upcoming 2024 presidential elections.

However, Prof Kobby Mensah vehemently disagreed with Kwabena Agyepong’s argument, describing it flawed.

In a post shared on X on Monday, November 13, 2023, Prof Mensah contended that, Dr Bawumia’s performance has been subpar and marked by incompetence.

He noted critics, including himself, who label Bawumia as a failure have based their judgment on the Vice President’s claim to be an economic wizkid.

Below are Prof Mensah’s post on X

Kwabena Agyepong’s argument is massively flawed. By what metric is he measuring Mahama? Most people, including me, who say Bawumia is a failure and incompetent have used his own claim to economic knowledge supremacy as the measure, in addition to his continuous lies. #NFFP pic.twitter.com/oYhuam4SnL

— Prof. Kobby Mensah (@thePOE_T) November 13, 2023

If we use broad brush of unsatisfactory development in the country then apart from Nkrumah, all Govts have failed, according to Ghanaians. We have been specific about Bawumia because he and the President were specific about his Job Description – the economy (JD). #NFFP #ABBB https://t.co/GwRndEdFhN

— Prof. Kobby Mensah (@thePOE_T) November 13, 2023

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Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, Prof Mensah noted that the duo, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and former Food and Agriculture Minister, Dr Afriyie Akoto, who are currently seeking to represent the NPP in the 2024 general election have tainted their images politically due to their abysmal performance while in office.

Prof Mensah, known for his keen insights into political strategies, expressed doubt about the two contenders’ abilities to lead the nation effectively and suggested that the party was, “for the first time, presenting very weak candidates.”

One of the key areas of concern for Prof Mensah was the state of economic management under the NPP with Dr Bawumia at the helm of affairs for the Economic Management Team.

“Economic management has been in shambles, and I’m surprised that they are trying to tout Dr. Bawumia’s credentials.”

The Political Strategist further criticised Dr. Bawumia for his deafening silence on economic matters since the country’s financial crisis began, noting, “I have never heard him [Dr. Bawumia] speak about the economy since the economy started plummeting.”

“Let us be frank, whenever they have spoken, they’ve attributed our economic woes to Ukraine and Covid-19 but everybody knows that they have mismanaged the economy,” he told host Evans Mensah on Wednesday.

Turning his attention to Dr Afryie Akoto, Prof Mensah questioned the performance of the Food and Agriculture Ministry during his tenure.

He specifically cited the “Planting for Food and Jobs” programme, saying the initiative was in “shambles.”

Prof Mensah criticized the strategies employed during the Minister’s tenure, characterising them as “knee-jerk”, suggesting that they failed to yield significant results.

But speaking on the show, a former National Organiser of the governing NPP, Sammy Awuku, vehemently opposed Prof Mensah’s description of the party’s presidential aspirants, saying the NDC had worse aspiring presidential candidates during their primary, and yet he Prof Mensah did not make such statements about them.

In his response, Mr Awuku highlighted the qualifications attained by the two contenders and believed that when given the mandate they would deliver accordingly.

The governing party is preparing to select its flagbearer this weekend. Delegates are to decide whether the Vice President, Dr Afriyie Akoto, Kennedy Agyapong and Francis Addai-Nimoh will be on the ticket of the party in 2024.

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Professor Kobby Mensah explained that it is not easy for constituents to suddenly change their representatives.

He stated that especially when that person had earlier won the seat with massive votes and had performed quite to the satisfaction of the people.

In such a situation, the new challenger must prove to the constituents why they need to choose him instead of the incumbent.

According to him, the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Charles Opoku’s status as a philanthropist and the claim that he hails from the same place as the NDC’s candidate are not enough to garner support or votes.

He needed to bring “every compelling reason” for which he should be elected, Prof. Kobby added.

“When you had gone to buy a waakye from seller A and you found the waakye tasty, now seller B comes you don’t know seller B. Are you going to change your waakye seller from seller A to seller B or you’re going to maintain the same seller?

“In marketing, we say that repurchase can only happen if the company had delivered. Now, if there’s a new competitor, that new competitor must clog perhaps the gap in the first one and must bring every compelling reason why you should change your purchase or seller.

“Now the question is we have seen so many constituencies hooting at their MPs. We haven’t seen that from Assin North. In fact, not that I’ve seen. And now the NDC is presenting the same candidate and you’re actually bringing another candidate, a new candidate which you claim comes from the same place and is a philanthropist.

“So for people to be able to shift their purchase behaviour from someone who’s a politician and they’re somehow satisfied with, to a philanthropist they don’t know, I think that the old adage ‘the devil you know is better than the angel you don’t know’ actually applied here,” he explained on JoyFm’s Super Morning Show on Thursday.

Ahead of the bye-election, many researchers predicted that the NPP’s Charles Opoku will win according to their findings but reality denied the predictions. The NDC’s James Gyakye Quayson won by a convincing margin to recapture the seat.

Prof Kobby Mensah emphasized that demographics alone do not win elections but delivery of work does. He expressed that being a philanthropist is not the same as being a politician in that the “skill sets” are completely different.

Meanwhile, another factor which contributed to the defeat of Charles Opoku according to the expert is that the entire country does not believe that the current NPP-led government has performed well.

According to him, the people of the Assin North constituency realized that they were being taken for granted.

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A Marketing and Political Communication lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School has claimed former President John Mahama is more marketable than Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

Professor Kobby Mensah explained that given the deteriorating socio-economic conditions in the country, the Akufo-Addo government has made Mr Mahama a saint.

On how it will affect the candidature of Dr Bawumia, the lecturer said majority of Ghanaians blame him for the economic woes.

As someone who was touted as an economic messiah, “we expected him to leave up to expectation but he has failed.”

Compared to what transpired under the erstwhile Mahama administration, Prof Mensah said Dr Bawumia’s failure is fresh in the minds of Ghanaians.

Hence, ahead of the 2024 general elections, the Vice President will be very difficult to market should he be elected flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party.

“Most people are now saying that, this administration makes John Mahama looks like a saint so he will be more marketable than Bawumia,” he said in an interview on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem Monday.

Play attached audio above for more:

Prof. Mensah expressed his disapproval of Dr Bawumia’s vision to position Ghana as a digital hub on the African continent if elected president in the 2024 presidential polls. The Vice President made this announcement during the submission of his nomination forms at the New Patriotic Party’s office.

During an interview on Citi FM, Prof. Mensah stated that Dr Bawumia should focus on addressing the country’s deteriorating economy, which was the primary reason he was chosen as a running mate in 2016.

“I just couldn’t believe that in the entire statement, he never mentioned the economy. This Vice President was single-handedly chosen for a particular reason and the reason was that he was going to change the fundamentals, he particularly said he was going to work to move the country from taxation to production to make sure that the economy of the country was resilient and robust which he has failed.

“If this Vice president wants us to take him to the apex of the ticket to become president of this country, then he must be honest with us and tell us what happened to his promise of moving the country from taxation to production”

Prof. Mensah further expressed his scepticism about Dr Bawumia’s potential election as president, suggesting that it would undermine the true essence of democracy.

“Until Bawumia speaks to the economic question of from taxation to production, we cannot believe, trust, and make him president of this country and if Ghanaians really think this man is fit to become president of this country, then we have undermined the meaning of democracy because if somebody performs, we appreciate and reward and if somebody fails, we do not reward and so what is he trying to tell us that though he couldn’t perform, we should reward him to become the president of this country.”

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