Why the President Must show Decisive Leadership

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• JOE LAMPTEY 10 years ago

  I don't know what kind of people Ghanaians are....We sit unconcerned while the Presidents manage and waste the country's resources and funds "like their PERSONAL WEALTH BEQUEATHED to them by their parents" and WITH IMPUNITY. ...
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  I don't know what kind of people Ghanaians are....We sit unconcerned while the Presidents manage and waste the country's resources and funds "like their PERSONAL WEALTH BEQUEATHED to them by their parents" and WITH IMPUNITY. We should be ashamed of ourselves! We've showed that Africans are incompetent to rule themselves. Until the GUN IS PUT TO THE HEAD of the African, he "brains seem frozen". What a shame!!!

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• Paul Amuna 10 years ago

  Colonialism could NEVER be better than SELF-RULE and your assertion of "misuse" of our national wealth is not also well supported. We are all frustrated that not much progress is being made to tackle corruption and root out t ...
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  Colonialism could NEVER be better than SELF-RULE and your assertion of "misuse" of our national wealth is not also well supported. We are all frustrated that not much progress is being made to tackle corruption and root out the 'bad nuts' in our system but your views are expressed here clearly show frustration but are not necessirily accurate.

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• Kofi Ata, Cambridge, UK 10 years ago

  Paul, when it comes to corruption, it is abundantly clear that President Mahama has not shown leadership in the fight against it. Under his watch corruption has increased, even if the setting up of the Judgement Debt Commissi ...
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  Paul, when it comes to corruption, it is abundantly clear that President Mahama has not shown leadership in the fight against it. Under his watch corruption has increased, even if the setting up of the Judgement Debt Commission is a step in the right direction.
  
  Again, I am not sure if the lack of leadership is due to the fact that the president is surrounded by boot lickers. In fact, Woyome, GYEEDA and others are well known to President Mahama but he has not shown that his government is capable of dealing effectively with those involved, hiding under the cloak of rule of law. The Woyome trial is a typical example of the failure of President Mahama's government. First, the AG and Minister for Justice is not fit to lead (even if figure head) the prosecution of the case because of conflict of interest. She worked for the law firm that represented some of the parties in that judgement debt claim against the state. Again, reading from Martin Amidu's letter yesterday, it is very clear that the trial is just a cover up. How on earth could the trial be successfully concluded when none of those who were involved have been called as witnesses by the state (such as Betty Mould Iddrisu, Barton Oduro, Neequaye-Tetteh and Samuel Asimenu as well as Martin Amindu)? I can assure you that Woyome will walk away free and all of them will go and enjoy their booty. The same will happen with GYEEDA, if anyone is ever put on trial.
  
  Last but not the least, instead of the President strengthening existing anti-corruption institutions to be able to work effectively, he is undermining them by setting up new and parallel structures such as his proposed Public Complaints Centres and the suggested Anti-Corruption Unit at the Presidency. Who will be working in such a unit, politicians or experts? Of course, it will be politicians who will just protect their own. Why not strengthen CHRAJ, EOCO and others?

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• Paul Amuna 10 years ago

  Kofi, you are right that part of the president's apparent failure to effectively tackle the issue of corruption lies in some of his own appointees and people who have a "conflict of interest" in ongoing cases and therefore ca ...
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  Kofi, you are right that part of the president's apparent failure to effectively tackle the issue of corruption lies in some of his own appointees and people who have a "conflict of interest" in ongoing cases and therefore cannot effectively lead in court e.g. the AG whom I know very little about.
  
  For me, this is an opportunity for President Mahama to undertake a proper 'house-cleaning' exercise which if proiperly executed and implicates people close to him, then that will show true leadership, hence my particular slant to this article.
  
  I feel these are 'missed opportunities' for him and the sooner he acts, the better. I also believe that it is all well to set up committees but if there are existing State structures to deal with these issues, by all means they must be strengthened to undertake their job effectively. If it means replacing those currently leading them (if they are tainted), then so be it.
  
  I can see the frustration of the likes of Bagbin, but I also think the president is trying to satisfy certain constituencies in his party rather than run the country as "executive president" and damn the consequences! If I were in his shoes, I would do the latter and run the country and restore law, order and integrity in public and private life even if it means losing an election.
  
  I note that today he has made a speech in which he has asked his critics to "wait for 2016" in an apparent criticism of those in his own party who do not wish him well and /or want him to fail. Kofi, I rather suspect there are many such people (and this I see through their actions, utterances, commissions and ommissions) however that even should give him a free hand to run this ship his own way even if it means he loses the next election.
  
  In a strange way, I have a feeling, if the president were to show the type of decisive and tough leadership that we suggest here, Ghanaians would rather vote for him. I just have a feeling the people close to him are letting him down in a very big way and some of his advisors in my view, are well past their date and need to be replaced if he is to make any good and meaningl=ful progress.

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• Kobena 10 years ago

  Yes,
  Ghanaians showed their gratitude and love in the early days of Dr Kwame Nkrumah's rule when he exposed the rogues in his government in "dawn broadcasts."
  
  Some of the rogues in President Mahama's government may have c ...
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  Yes,
  Ghanaians showed their gratitude and love in the early days of Dr Kwame Nkrumah's rule when he exposed the rogues in his government in "dawn broadcasts."
  
  Some of the rogues in President Mahama's government may have contributed to his election, but what can they really do to him if puts the searchlight on them and gets a few imprisoned? He is the boss and the buck stops at his desk.
  
  I have said elsewhere that we need to begin to discuss state funding of elections and a cap on election spending, to forestall the situation whereby "money bags" hold our presidents to ransom.

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• Paul Amuna 10 years ago

  Kobena, you hit the nail right on the head - the notion of 'entitlement' just because people 'support' others to win elections e.g. via funding and other forms of input is part of our problem. I am against this 'American styl ...
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  Kobena, you hit the nail right on the head - the notion of 'entitlement' just because people 'support' others to win elections e.g. via funding and other forms of input is part of our problem. I am against this 'American style' uncontrolled funding waste that characterises our elections, and which if anything, promotes corruption.
  
  Well, it appears the president is responding to what is clearly a challenge for him and I rather hope he will make a bold statement by taking a tough stance against even those who helped to fund his campaign for election, whoever they are.

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• Kofi Ata, Cambridge, UK 10 years ago

  Paul, I agree with you to some extent. However, Mahama cannot rule alone but with consensus from his party. In other words, he must get the balance of nation and party needs right because if he will seek a second term he must ...
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  Paul, I agree with you to some extent. However, Mahama cannot rule alone but with consensus from his party. In other words, he must get the balance of nation and party needs right because if he will seek a second term he must first get the support of his party and thereafter campaign with them. He rules alone at his own risk and in fact that is the same even in the west. Remember, when Margaret Thatcher ruled without her party, the party caused her removal from office. I know the system is different in Ghana but Mahama could rule for four years but not get the chance for a second term if the party do not select him as flagbearer in 2016.
  
  I have just read President Mahama's response to his critics and to say the least, that is very disappointing, unless he intends not seek a second term. It appears to that the president is not ready from criticism and as leader he must be ready for both internal and external criticisms. The way the presidency has responded to this matter is a clear sign of indiscipline within the party and the presidency or leaders who cannot stand criticism or the heat. It is similar to what General Nunoo-Mensah said, though what he was trying to say was probably true but the delivery was wrong.
  
  It is true that Babgin was wrong with his approach but I expected the Presidency, ministers and above all, the presidency to be more decorous. I expected President Mahama to have asked Stan Dogbe, the Foreign Minister and Ofosu Kwakye to desist from using social media to respond to matters but for him to cast insinuation. This is clearly weak leadership. A good leader would have called all these people, including Babgin in a give them a good dressing and ask them not repeat what they did again.
  
  This government and NDC is are very indiscipline. Their behaviour are signs of a tired government waiting exit power at the next elections. Remember, oppositions do not win elections, instead, governments lose elctions and disunited parties often if not all the time lose elections. Typical examples include John Major's government and what just happened in Australia and perhaps the two elections NPP has lost (2008 ans 2012).

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• Paul Amuna 10 years ago

  I agree with your arguments here and the evidence of "NDC party indiscipline" seems to be playing out here, hence my suggestion that the President must focus on running the country - By the way, the opposite of the effect of ...
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  I agree with your arguments here and the evidence of "NDC party indiscipline" seems to be playing out here, hence my suggestion that the President must focus on running the country - By the way, the opposite of the effect of Maggie Tatcher (because of her determined stubbornness to the extent of ignoring her core and key ministers e.g. Lord Howe) is the case of Tony Blair who took up the Unions in a very clever but determined way, and used that to 'transform' the labour party into an electable party (although he made some serious errors along the way).
  
  Blair's approach was successful because he had a core team of people who both SHARED in his vision and in fact some were ARCHITECTS of the "New Labour" philosophy (which eventually run out of steam when the "Blairites and Brownites" started to 'compete' with each other and worked thier way into destruction - culminating in the undermining of Brown and their eventual electoral defeat at the 2010 polls.
  
  I happen to think that the president, if he should run "with" his party as you suggest, then he MUST be seen to be IN CHARGE and LEADING the party. In other words, ALL who work for HIM and his government must know that the buck indeed stops with him, and people like Bagbin should therefore not be compalining of "lack of direct access" to the president. I find that odd.
  
  I would add that the likes of Kumbuor and even Hamidu through their actions / inactions have sought to undermine the president and there is an undercurrent here (not dissimilar to some of what President Kuffour experienced within his party during his tenure).
  
  I would also like to see the President CALL all the 'indisciplined' protagonists to order (and I've read about Bagbin's "ceasefire") and make it clear to them who is in charge and what the focus should be. He also needs to review the composition of his cabinet and team of appointees and review their individual and collective performances and take decisive action on their future.
  
  I believe if the president is serious and if he is indeed leader of the NDC party, his team must work closely with the NDC but make sure they are also disciplined - what is this we are reading about NDC youth "seizing offices" and "burning" things and "chasing" officials out etc? Surely as president, you don't want to be running a party and a country like that? The party hierarchy, led by the General Secretary need to call all their house in order.
  
  For me, the overriding important thing about government is the country and yes, 'parties' win elections and are called to govern, but government is for the people, not the party. If government is to be "by the people" (which is where taking the party along comes in), then those "people" must surely be RESPONSIBLE and DISCIPLINED, both of which appear to be in short supply in the NDC at the moment.
  
  Sadly, this artitude has characterised NDC (and indeed NPP and other parties') politics in Ghana over the decades and what is needed is a "Blair-like" leader to bring the party to order whilst working with them to govern the country. Is Mahama capable of doing that? I wonder, but he still has an opportunity to show that leadership if only he will grab it.
  
  I share Kobena's view about campaign funding which doesnot seem to know any boundaries and therefore allows corrupt individuals to have access to, and somehow seek to 'control' or 'influence these politicians. That is part of the reason politics and governance in countries such as Ghana is so different I guess!

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• Nframa Boni 10 years ago

  Thank you Sir, But the fact is that the President, Kwabena Duffuor, RLG and Jospong Group/Zoomlion are all in this corrupt web and so JM CANNOT and WILL NOT do anthing about it. HE IS A DIRECT BENEFICIARY OF THIS LOOT. PERIOD ...
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  Thank you Sir, But the fact is that the President, Kwabena Duffuor, RLG and Jospong Group/Zoomlion are all in this corrupt web and so JM CANNOT and WILL NOT do anthing about it. HE IS A DIRECT BENEFICIARY OF THIS LOOT. PERIOD!!

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• OSU ALATA 10 years ago

  (even is he is not in fact corrupt himself).

  (even is he is not in fact corrupt himself).

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• Whatever 10 years ago

  Even though Mahama appears clean, he has failed to give as serious indication that he is serious in fulfilling his electoral promises. That is my issue with him

  Even though Mahama appears clean, he has failed to give as serious indication that he is serious in fulfilling his electoral promises. That is my issue with him

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• Awola 10 years ago

  can't you all see how Ghana is rapidly improving with better educational facilities and government oversight which was lacking under kufour rule?Mahama is not even finished his first term but there is hope among we the people ...
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  can't you all see how Ghana is rapidly improving with better educational facilities and government oversight which was lacking under kufour rule?Mahama is not even finished his first term but there is hope among we the people of Ghana.Mahama is a leader who can actually lead so lets lim him alone, especially all n.p.p kortibortors

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