Mahama must do things differently - Emile Short

Former Commissioner on Human Rights and Administrative (CHRAJ), Francis Emile Short, has implored the John Mahama administration to set itself apart from the 'repulsive' way its predecessors governed the nation.

Justice Short also wants the current administration to consider appointing persons to head government institutions on merit, rather than doing so based on political allegiance.

This, the former CHRAJ Boss noted, will afford the nation the opportunity of having people with quality skills to serve at leadership positions, unlike the party sympathisers who invariably tend to use such positions to enrich themselves.

Speaking Wednesday on the Super Morning Show on Joy FM, Justice Emile Short also beseeched the government to move beyond establishing performance standards and enforce them, to ensure that those who fail to meet their targets are held accountable.

He said many "people get away with so much", because of the lack of accountability.

The comments by the former CHRAJ boss come a day after Majority Leader of Parliament, Benjamin Kunbuor expressed similar sentiments to the effect that, Ghana lacks critical thinkers who can think and proffer practical solutions to the country's problems.

According to Justice Short, many state institutions are not functioning properly, compounding the problem of poor work ethics and low productivity. He, therefore, called on the present administration to "start doing things differently", with regard to reforming and re-engineering the public sector.

Dealing with leadership

Kofi Bentil, Vice President of local think tank IMAANI-Ghana, however, thinks the problems confronting the development of the nation, hinge more on leadership, which he said must be tackled.

"Leadership is everything; without the leader you are going nowhere...You can't grow taller than your head," he emphasised.

Mr. Bentil, who is also the Chief Executive for Bentil Consult, charged the people to demand performance from those they elect to lead them.

"We ought to challenge colleagues in power...What we need is a man [or woman] with ideas", to find solution to the country's development challenges.