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Strategic Communication tenets should be connected to the people’s culture - Esther Cobbah

Madam Esther Cobbah, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Stratcomm Africa, has urged communicators to connect strategic communication principles to Ghanaian culture to ensure the country's development.

This, she stated, was to facilitate citizens’understanding, acceptance, and participation in developmental projects. Madam Esther made the statement yesterday during a public forum held at the Great Hall as part of the Department of Communication Studies’ 50th-anniversary celebrations.

The lecture was on the theme, Communicating development beyond politics: Can the tenets of strategic communication help in the digital era?

In an exclusive interview with Madam Esther Cobbah, she explained that understanding the beliefs and context of the people with whom one is communicating is critical for strategic communication.

She stated that strategic communication is both an art and a science because it requires both creativity and a systematic process to ensure effective communication.

Madam Esther Cobbah also added that strategic communication necessitates constant monitoring to adapt messages to individuals as they change over time.

A group of women standing togetherDescription automatically generated with low confidence 

Image: Esther Cobbah interacting with some participants after the event

Strategic communication ensures that stakeholders' perspectives are actively sought. Despite its importance, communication is rarely used as a strategic tool in the development of cooperation programs.

It is more than just disseminating information; it is also the active solicitation of stakeholders' perspectives. It is both a prerequisite and a tool for effective policymaking and public participation, facilitating information exchange and establishing consensus among disparate opinions and interests.

Strategic communication also promotes the development of know-how and enhances decision-making, and action capacities which are central to the delicate collaboration between government, civil society, and the private sector.

 

Story by: Juliana Kuukua Kwofie, MA Student Department of Communication Studies

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