The Ghanaian political landscape is dominated by political propagandists and commentators who lack any significant work experience outside the world of partisan politics.
This is the damning findings of the Executive Director of the Afrobarometer network who says Ghana needs to strive harder for equal political representation in the fourth republic.
Prof Emmanuel Gyimah Boadi is of the view that one of the outstanding issues of the fourth republic is political dominance of the ruling party, which fills positions without recourse to gender equality, etc.
For instance, women, people with disabilities, and other social and economic minorities are grossly underrepresented in all branches and at all levels of the government.
Speaking at the 14th ‘Kronti ne Akwamu lectures’, the former Executive Director of the Centre for Democratic Development said there is also structural underrepresentation in all levels of government with respects to groups who constitute the backbone of the Ghanaian economy, and generate the bulk of national revenue. Some of these he noted, are farmers, fisher folks and miners.
“There is consistent representation in government of male and white-collar middle-class professional politicians, political propagandist and commentators, many of whom lack significant work experience outside of the world of partisan politics” he stressed.
Ghanaians have had cause to question the quality of government and even elected officials, whose utterance and conducts sometimes cast doubt on their appropriateness for the positions they fill. Most of these appointees seem to have little or no experience but are pushed into high offices that require strategic planning.
Such appointees are also prone to making decisions that favour their personal interest and partisan interest, instead of the national interest.
Prof Gyimah Boadi added that there is also excessive representation in non-elected government positions for members of “the ruling party, the president’s party, the president’s family, and Presidents friends.
These are the categories of people who tend to be favoured when appointments are being made, “hence the mischievous expression by some very bad people by some Ghanaians, government of family and friends.
