Cautious optimism while we wait

A few things can be said eternally about Ghanaians. We are generally God - fearing, optimistic and largely corruptible. In the aftermath of the 2012 elections, the nation is confronted with a number of realities. The first full scale legal challenge to an internationally acclaimed election is the first one. Next is the task of dealing with systemic corruption which is robbing ordinary citizens of their basic rights, including the right to life itself. Additionally, perennially untouched core issues like poor sanitation, a crumbling educational system and a primitive infrastructure serving one of the fastest growing economies in the world continue to persist.

The Mahama administration, should it survive the legal challenge of the election results by the opposition NPP, is at the watershed of a generational divide which should result in a completely new way of conducting the business of government in Ghana.

The responsibilities are huge but not insurmountable. Pundits will soon dissect the new president's mind and discover its guiding principles. How successful he will be in implementing seismic changes in the business of governing remain to be seen. He has publicly displayed good communicating skills, a semblance of humility, is reputed to be data - driven and a deemed to be a nationalist in the truest Nkrumahist sense of the word in our historical context. He is however, a politician and has debts to pay, so some of his early appointments are bound to disappoint those expecting the new broom to sweep completely clean from the outset. There have also been knee – jerk concerns about insufficient diversity in his appointments in the early days but it is best to hold judgment till the full picture emerges.

The manner, in which the leading opposition party is both seeking legal redress for its petition before the Supreme Court and simultaneously trying to obstruct the business of Ghana's citizens, will likely be costly to the party irrespective of the outcome of the case. The court case is about a specific event i.e. the 2012 election. The refusal of NPP legislators to perform their constitutionally mandated duties in parliament reflects the paucity of altruism within their ranks and must be met with the appropriate administrative response from the government. The refusal to contest by - elections, is similarly counter-productive. Added to all of this, is a distinct intolerance of diversity of opinion within the ranks of the NPP.

The court case is truly a great test of the integrity of the judiciary as an institution. The administration of justice has left much to be desired as far most Ghanaians who interact with the system will attest. While the legal gyrations and Latin phrases regale us, Mr Mahama has a job to do but his party kingpins do not help by being so easily drawn into trying the court case in the media by the opposition litigants.

So far, the first outing by Dr Gariba his senior policy advisor in explaining the plethora of Ministers of State at the presidency was credible and informative. The idea of champions for specific projects embodied in the so called “three wise men” is a theoretically sound management principle but many wonder if the choice of these three particular men has allowed pure politics to taint a good idea. They will have to deliver results in a system in which they have had a great deal of experience but have not been able to improve significantly in all their years in government. The choice of respected technocrats or individuals with a record of success in the private sector might have sent a better signal to the nation about this administration's intent to change government processes for the better.

The pervasive culture of inefficiency without accountability in our systems of operation is the foundation of numerous failures and this is where the greatest change needs to occur. A recent World Bank Report, citing over $1.5bn worth of funded projects, which have not been executed in the allotted time, says it all. The evil triplets of corruption, inefficiency and waste continue to tower over the promise of our true destiny.

Prof T.P. Manus Ulzen
[email protected]
Jan 30, 2013