Ghana: Follow Not Kenya?s Path

Ghana simply cannot become another ?Kenya?. By this we cannot have a government that comes to power, on the ticket of minimizing corruption, as in Kenya, only to have this canker bloated or almost disregarded. In Kenya, ? President Mwai Kibaki was elected in 2002 on a pledge to clean up Kenya but diplomats say that "massive looting" is still going on?. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4249679.stm

Currently in Kenya, the citizens and the international community have almost concluded, by way of news reports, that the ability and commitment from the current government to do something about corruption is hopeless and this is due to create hardships for its citizens, as the reaction from the donor community, which supports Kenya, like many African countries, in its development is not happy about these events.

Ghana may not have corruption at the level of Kenya, but like stealing, it does not matter what the value of theft is, it is theft either way one looks at it. It has to be dealt with.

The lack of responsiveness to the electorate, especially when citizens bring up the issue of corruption, will definitely erode confidence in the government, first from its people and then others, who have influence over our economy.

What the leadership of our government is failing to understand is simple. We need men who have conducted themselves beyond reproach to handle our affairs. As such it is not for the government to mingle politics with this quest of the people. We want people who walk the talk and this is our right.

In selecting sector managers or ministers, the government must do its homework and identify people of character, who have no skeletons in their closet, so as to reduce the backlash that it has had due to the presentation of some of its nominees to the vetting committee in recent times.

The backlash points to the lack of judgment, with respect to choosing people of character. Little drops of water as said, make a mighty ocean, and along these lines, little acts of non-responsiveness will lead to dissent, if the concerns of the people, not only with respect to nominees, but issues of corruption and abuse of power, is not heard and acted upon.

The Ghanaian leadership needs to start making some in-roads with the general public because it is becoming evident that the level of confidence given to them in 2002 is dwindling.

Their success in 2004 actually is believed to be one based on the ?lesser of two evils? theory, with respect to the two main parties dominating Ghana?s political scene.

This means that a third force in terms of political parties, which can provide a strong alternative actually stands a chance of possibly winning the next election. This in itself is not a good thing because if this alternative does not present itself, political apathy could be what this government may create as a legacy for democracy if it continues not to listen to its people.

Please sit up.