THE
110 MINISTERS: MORE LABOURERS OR MORE JOBS OR KINGS?
Kofi:
Hello Ama, it’s has been a while.
Ama:
You’re
right Kofi; we’ve not spoken since the 2016 general elections in Ghana. Come to
think of it, despite all the flamboyant political campaign, massive political
infrastructure, political blackmailing and dirty propaganda gimmicks; the
ruling party lost power to the then main opposition party.
Kofi: Ama,
there are times people will only judge you by your character not by your works
or gifts. All the things you’ve mentioned could not whitewashed the perceived
corruption, abuse of power and political arrogance!
Ama:
I hear people are convincing the defeated ex-president to contest the 2020
presidential elections. Do you think he can do any magic in 2020?
Kofi:
If
he’ll listen to my humble advice, he should not dare! I think he should enjoy
his lean statesmanship as a former president and spare himself of needless
embarrassments.
Ama:
Hey
Kofi, the new president has appointed a total of 110 substantive and deputy
ministers. The Information Minister says the nature of the tasks the Government
needs to surmount requires a battalion of political taskforces. From the
so-called invisible taskforces in the Jubilee House to political kings and
queens tagged as political appointees such as ministers and deputy ministers.
Kofi:
I wish the new government learns from the mistakes of all the previous regimes.
It should particularly resist the temptation of pleasing its political cronies
and exalting the interests of the ruling party above that of the nation.
Ama:
The
Information Minister also said the ruling party did not promise a lean
government. And that the end justifies the means. That it is better to have a
bigger government that is effective and efficient than to have a lean government
that loots the resources of the nation.
Kofi:
Ama, the ruling government needs not promise us of a lean government. Besides,
the needless size of its government cannot be justified by the mistakes of a
previous regime. It is not also true that the end justifies the means. I agree
with the argument that if the end justifies the means, then this government has
no moral right to castigate the previous regime for excessive borrowing. This is
because those political borrowing were after all used to undertake some
projects such as the so-called massive road construction throughout the country.
Do those massive political campaign infrastructure and road networks justify
the excessive borrowing? Doing a wrong thing at one hand and a good thing on
the other hand does not cancel the wrong committed; the wrong remains unless it
is atoned.
Ama: What
about the argument that the big size of the government will make it more
efficient and effective?
Kofi:
Ama,
multitudes of resources (be they human or material) do not guarantee
effectiveness and efficiency; effectual measures and quality personnel are the
factors that do the job. A battalion of thirsty and hungry appointed political
cronies adds little to effectiveness and efficiency. Efficiency and
effectiveness do not subsist in the quantity of the available human resource
but the size of the mind of the right human resource.
Ama:
What
if all the 110 substantive and deputy ministers are all competent leaders and
have many great minds to enhance the growth and development of our nation?
Kofi:
Granted
that your assumption is true, we should not forget the fact that leadership
does not subsist in titles but in towels. Many of such competent and great
minds can still use their great minds to serve the nation in their personal or
other capacities without serving in any public position. Ghana does no need
more political kings and queens but more selfless labourers who are more
interested in serving the nation without occupying political and public
positions.
Ama:
I agree with you, Kofi.
Richard
Obeng Mensah, author of Wisdom Thoughts Blog:
www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com Email: richardobengmensah@gmail.com
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