Intemperate Language Is Negative

A former Vice-chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Akilakpa Sawyerr, has added his voice to the condemnation of the use of intemperate language by some political leaders.

He said the practice was not good as it did not help in national development.

He, therefore, called on the media to demand more substance from politicians rather than allow them to make comments that were ambiguous.

Professor Sawyerr said this at the launch of a book titled ‘The Oxford Companion to the Economics of Africa’, edited by four prominent economists.

They are: Professor Ernest Aryeetey, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Shantayanan Devarajan, Chief Economist of the Africa Region of the World Bank, Ravi Kanbur, Professor of Economics at Cornell University and Louis Kasekende, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Uganda.

The 257-page book offers information to people who desire to know more about Africa.

Prof. Sawyerr said there was the need to address policy matters and also put pressure on policy makers to do things right.

He said one of the benefits of the book was that it gave readers the chance to ask questions about growth and development in the economy and added that the issue of engaging in global economy was very important.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Ernest Aryeetey, said the book would help African economists to bring out their own perspective to national development.

He said the book also sought to reflect change in the eyes of researchers working in Africa.

Professor Aryeetey said the book also talked about experiences in undertaking reforms in an economy.

Speaking on the impressions of Economics of Africa, Ms Abena Oduro of the Department of Economics of the University of Ghana said gender equalities mattered most in education.

According to her, issues of gender inequalities mattered a lot so far as growth and development were concerned.

She said looking at the agricultural sector, farms owned by women were just as progressive as that of men.

In addition, she said, the input of assets must also be addressed.