By Prof G.K.T.Oduro, University of Cape Coast
As I reminisced about the President’s advice to the 16 newly sworn in Regional Ministers and the lyrics of our National Anthem, one key message emerges: Ministers must move beyond Partisan Interests in their performance orientation. A crosscutting focus of the President’s advice and the National Anthem is _Service_ _in_ _the_ _interest_ _of_ _the_ _Nation_ _rather_ _than_ _the_ _NPP_ _Party_ .
The first line of our National Anthem reads *GOD* *BLESS* *OUR* *HOMELAND* *GHANA* . It doesn’t read GOD BLESS OUR POLITICAL PARTY. The President also tasked the Regional Ministers to be guided by the Constitution and *promote* *the* *general* *well-being* *of* **citizenry** *of* *their* *respective* *regions* .The President DID NOT task Ministers to work towards serving partisan interests – the emphasis was on the region and by extension Ghana. A very nationalistic advice. _But_ _how_ _do_ _we_ _ensure_ _that_ _this_ _nationalistic_ _advice_ _does_ _not_ _remain_ _a_ _swearing-in_ _ceremony_ _rhetorics_? This is my worry. Between 2017 and 2020, the President preached *Ghana* *First* and _tasked_ _Ghanaians_ _not_ _to_ _sit_ _on_ _the_ _fence_ _but_ _act_ _as_ _citizens_ . Another nationalistic advice. But what did we see? Some Ministers acted as political party agents rather than government representatives.Extreme exclusion of political opponents in national policy discourses was experienced. Intolerance of diverse opinions was recorded and political opponents branded as enemies. Partisan commitment deepened in matters of recruitment, promotions. transfers and consultancies in our public sector. Such a partisan orientation created unhelpful tensions and undermined policy implementation because non-party members were compelled to act as spectators rather than citizens.
This partisan orientation of Ministers must change. The 8th Session of our 4th Republic needs Ministers who will perform their roles through the lens of Ghana’s Constitution rather than the lens of their political party. We need Ministers who will tap the expertise of citizens relevant to regional and national development , irrespective of the political orientation of such experts. The appoinzed Ministers must not behave as Chairmen or Secretaries of their political parties. They must provide leadership that will promote inclusiveness and create a sense of belongingness in all citizens irrespective of their political, gender, religious or ethnic orientation.
As Ministers. they must remember they are remunerated through taxes paid by the citizenry not through dues paid by political activists.
If the President’s regional and national interest agenda can be fulfilled by the Ministers, then Political Parties must give them room to operate. Political activists must not interfere in the operational plans of the Ministries and Regional Co-ordinating Councils
While I congratulate all the regional and other sectoral Ministers I urge them to be guided by the words of the second stanza of our National Anthem below;
Hail to the name, O Ghana
To thee, we make our solemn vow
steadfast to build together
nation strong in Unity
With our gifts of mind and strength of arm
Whether night or day, in the midst of storm
In every need whatever the call may be
To serve thee, Ghana, now and for evermore
Source: ALTFMNEWSROOM
