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What Informs the President on His Ministerial Appointments

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 Source: Nokobi, Tete

The great state of the United States has more human beings than Ghana, about 13 times!! It also follows that they may have more qualified and fulfilled individuals to occupy ministerial offices!! however, US govt is one institution that is consistent in maintaining govt officials as long as the administration endures!! Pres Barack Obama has just begun his second term and several of his ministers (Secretaries) are still at post except a few who willing opted to enjoy some less demanding life. What informs the presidents to maintain these officials in office for as long as they choose is essentially they qualified in their respective fields with vast experiences very few can match that excellence. However, in Ghana, the opposite is the case. Ministers are appointed largely as a reward or just by being close associates to the corridors of power! What security experience, strategic awareness and preparation of our neighboring countries plus basic knowledge of the functions of the security institutions has Mark Woyongo and Kwesi Ahwoi to be posted to Defence and Interior respectively? Mark Woyongo does not know what a Quarter Guard let alone the hierarchy of a battalion order of battle!! The woes of our nation are essentially accentuated by putting square pegs in round holes. Fiffi Fiafitor Kwetey for the 4 years he deputized at the finance ministry did not speak on a single financial issue besides mere propaganda and churning of imaginative figures and terms. "the economy is in intensive care" So the question is, what informed the Pres to play the musical chair as he did? The office of the Presidency and the several other high profile offices of govt, does not lend themselves to tutorials and practice on the job. It therefore behooves on whoever nominates or appoint someone into these offices to undertake due diligence! We as Ghanaians very much cherish and adore our cultures. I have seen some subjects lie prostrate before their chief's, and in some settings, a chief or king does not interact with disable persons. So what the heck inform the President to appoint a disable as the Minister designate for Chieftaincy and Traditional affairs? This person from the word go has been barred from meeting with several Akan chiefs!! Again, morality has not been a very revered value in Ghana politics. Mr Eric Opoku, the minister designated for Brong Ahafo Region is a man with very questionable character. He has always attracted negative attention wherever he went. This man in the early days of late Pres Mills’s administration was charge with harboring a fugitive running away from justice! What is so bizarre about that incident was that, a couple of days before the murderer was arrested under his bed by Ghana Police, he granted interview and denied any association with that person!! He claims not to have met the gentleman before and his two bedroom house at Sakumno was more a less a guest to indigenes from Brong Ahafo and the guy may have visited his house but he has no knowledge of him. Days later however, the fugitive was pulled from under his bed, and notwithstanding this damning allegation, he maintained his office as the deputy regional minister!! There are several others of the President nominees with questionable characters, experiences and known-how! The question one would want to ask is what informs the Pres in making his appointments?

The great state of the United States has more human beings than Ghana, about 13 times!! It also follows that they may have more qualified and fulfilled individuals to occupy ministerial offices!! however, US govt is one institution that is consistent in maintaining govt officials as long as the administration endures!! Pres Barack Obama has just begun his second term and several of his ministers (Secretaries) are still at post except a few who willing opted to enjoy some less demanding life. What informs the presidents to maintain these officials in office for as long as they choose is essentially they qualified in their respective fields with vast experiences very few can match that excellence. However, in Ghana, the opposite is the case. Ministers are appointed largely as a reward or just by being close associates to the corridors of power! What security experience, strategic awareness and preparation of our neighboring countries plus basic knowledge of the functions of the security institutions has Mark Woyongo and Kwesi Ahwoi to be posted to Defence and Interior respectively? Mark Woyongo does not know what a Quarter Guard let alone the hierarchy of a battalion order of battle!! The woes of our nation are essentially accentuated by putting square pegs in round holes. Fiffi Fiafitor Kwetey for the 4 years he deputized at the finance ministry did not speak on a single financial issue besides mere propaganda and churning of imaginative figures and terms. "the economy is in intensive care" So the question is, what informed the Pres to play the musical chair as he did? The office of the Presidency and the several other high profile offices of govt, does not lend themselves to tutorials and practice on the job. It therefore behooves on whoever nominates or appoint someone into these offices to undertake due diligence! We as Ghanaians very much cherish and adore our cultures. I have seen some subjects lie prostrate before their chief's, and in some settings, a chief or king does not interact with disable persons. So what the heck inform the President to appoint a disable as the Minister designate for Chieftaincy and Traditional affairs? This person from the word go has been barred from meeting with several Akan chiefs!! Again, morality has not been a very revered value in Ghana politics. Mr Eric Opoku, the minister designated for Brong Ahafo Region is a man with very questionable character. He has always attracted negative attention wherever he went. This man in the early days of late Pres Mills’s administration was charge with harboring a fugitive running away from justice! What is so bizarre about that incident was that, a couple of days before the murderer was arrested under his bed by Ghana Police, he granted interview and denied any association with that person!! He claims not to have met the gentleman before and his two bedroom house at Sakumno was more a less a guest to indigenes from Brong Ahafo and the guy may have visited his house but he has no knowledge of him. Days later however, the fugitive was pulled from under his bed, and notwithstanding this damning allegation, he maintained his office as the deputy regional minister!! There are several others of the President nominees with questionable characters, experiences and known-how! The question one would want to ask is what informs the Pres in making his appointments?

Columnist: Nokobi, Tete