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Chris Koney urges African Youth to be intentional in creating their personal brand
Marketing Communications Professional and International Relations Specialist, Jonathan Christopher Koney, popularly known in the African media space as Chris Koney has urged young people across the continent to adopt a strategic approach in building their capacities and creating a positive personal brand to scale to the next level of their lives.
The respected communications expert made the call at the second edition of Diplomatic Convocation 2023 held on Friday, November 10, 2023, at the University of Media, Arts and Communication in Accra (UniMAC).
He was part of the Special Guests and Keynote Speakers which included H.E Charles Abani, the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Ghana and Hon. Francis-Xavier Sosu, Member of Parliament for the Madina Constituency.
“Personal branding is an intentional and strategic approach in which you define and express your value proposition. It has become more important now than ever to carefully cultivate your public persona and reputation. With social media and online search, you are most likely to greatly expand your potential audience. And be reminded that apart from the rewards, there are equally associated risks”, he elaborated.
He further stated that young people ought to be mindful of their actions and the things they do when they are not in the public’s eye as they are not entirely in control of our personal brand.
“Unfortunately, while we would like to think that we are in complete control of our personal brands, it is often not the case. Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room. It is the amalgamation of the associations, beliefs, feelings, attitudes, and expectations that people collectively hold about you. Your goal should be to ensure that the narrative created about you is accurate, coherent, compelling, and differentiated”, he added.
In his concluding remarks, Mr. Koney said “a strong, well-managed personal brand benefits you in several ways and enhances your visibility, particularly among those who matter to you and to the things you hope to accomplish. It can also help you to expand your network and attract new opportunities. And on a deeper level, the process of building one can help you uncover, celebrate, and share the unique abilities you bring to the world.”
Chris Koney has over the last decade been a columnist with the Business and Financial Times newspaper and also made a tremendous impact within Africa’s corporate communications space. Currently, he is responsible for International Cooperation at Ghana’s leading Policy and Development Bank, the Ghana Export–Import Bank (GEXIM).
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Focus on more pressing issues like Galamsey, not hate speech – Ellen Ama Daaku to Mahama
An aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia,Ellen Ama Daaku has advised President John Dramani Mahama to shift his attention from social media hate speech to more urgent national issues such as illegal mining.
Speaking in an interview, she noted that the President’s recent comments about tracking the IP addresses of people who spread hate speech were unnecessary.
According to her, President Mahama must first define what he considers to be hate speech before seeking to punish people for it.
Ms. Daaku argued that the President himself had benefitted from hate speech and social media attacks in the past when he was in opposition.
She said even during his time in government, he described his opponents and their tribesmen in unpalatable terms, which later drew complaints from former President Nana Akufo-Addo to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
She stressed that harsh criticism of leaders on social media should not automatically be considered hate speech, adding that former leaders, including former President Nana Akufo-Addo had all been subjected to it.
“He is only feeling what Nana Akufo-Addo went through for eight years,” she remarked.
While acknowledging the need to regulate misconduct online, Ms. Daaku insisted that going after social media activists should not be a priority.
She noted that many political activists, including herself, had been insulted and attacked online but never called for arrests.
She concluded that President Mahama should focus his energy on solving pressing problems such as galamsey and the economy instead of concentrating on critics on social media.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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Prof Alidu Seidu files nomination for Tamale Central seat
The newly elected parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Tamale Central, Prof Alidu Seidu, has submitted his nomination forms to the Electoral Commission.
As of 10:00 a.m. today, he was the only person who had filed to contest the seat.
Nomination of candidates will close at the end of the day.
Associate Professor and Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana Legon, Prof. Alidu Seidu won the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Tamale Central constituency with a landslide victory.
The elections, supervised by the party’s Elections and IT Directorate in the Northern Region, saw Prof. Seidu poll 840 votes out of the total valid ballots cast.
His closest contender, Lawyer Hanan Gundadow Abdul-Rahaman, secured 536 votes.
The other aspirants could not make significant gains, with Dr. Seidu Fiter obtaining 44 votes, Aliu Abdul-Hamid 23 votes, and the rest recording fewer than 10 votes each.
In all, 1,500 ballots were cast, with 6 ballots rejected and 7 spoilt ballots recorded.
The results were signed and declared by Dr. Arnold Mashud Abukari, NDC Northern Regional Director of Elections and IT.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) held parliamentary primaries in Tamale Central to choose a candidate for the upcoming by-election following the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Dr. Mohammed, who also served as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, tragically died in a military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District on August 6, 2025, alongside seven others.
His passing left the Tamale Central seat vacant, as required by Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The Electoral Commission has scheduled the by-election for September 30, 2025. While the NDC moved quickly to open nominations and vet aspirants, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announced it would not contest the seat, citing the need to respect the somber circumstances and promote national unity.
By: Jacob Aggrey
