Blay and Karbo ought to be preaching merit first

It would be merely repeating the shortsighted mistakes of the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), for both the Acting National Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Freddie Blay, and the Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr. Anthony AbayifaKarbo, to be advocating the patently ungodly policy of cronyism as the most fetching method for the development of the country, or the most rapid means of drastically reducing the level of unemployment in the country, especially among staunch supporters of the ruling party (See “Put NPP Members First in Gov’t Programs – Freddy[sic] Blay to Nana Addo” Citifmonline.com / Modernghana.com 8/26/17).

Rather, what these party stalwarts and bigwigs ought to be advocating is the prioritization of merit, first, and then they can talk about giving preferential treatment to job candidates of merit who worked around the clock to ensure that the then-opposition New Patriotic Party got returned to the Flagstaff House, after 8 prolonged years of wandering in the political wilderness.

Indeed, common sense counsels that public employment preference be afforded card-carrying party members and supporters. But that is only part of the bigger progressive policy picture. The fact of the matter is that the Ghanaian taxpayer comes in all shades and ideological suasions.

What this means is that broadening the political tent creates or results in a greater opportunity for the NPP to healthily expand its electoral and parliamentary majority in 2020. And the latter strategy ought to constitute the prime agenda of President Addo DankwaAkufo-Addo and Vice-President MahamuduBawumia.

At the end of the day, however, there is an imperative need for this neoliberal and market-oriented ruling New Patriotic Party to exponentially expand the labor capacity of the country’s economy, in fulfillment of the party’s manifesto and policy agenda. This is the most progressive and winsome approach to the good governance mantra being preached by Nana Akufo-Addo and AlhajiBawumia.

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