Cutting Down On Corruption, Waste And ...

...Bad Governance
Proposition One: Cutting Down On Corruption, Waste And Bad Governance That Have Plagued Ghana Since Its Independence.

On March 6, 2007 Ghana will be 50 years old. Thank God for Ghana and the peace she has relatively enjoyed over the years compared to our neighbors in the west coast of Africa. Hopefully we shall enter the second half of our centenary with all the assurance of Peace and Stability in our nation. On this august occasion we must remember and extend our gratitude to all those who (have) shed their blood for our freedom. We are also especially grateful to our founding fathers, notably, the ?Big Six.? Many of Ghana?s gratitude go to ?The Big Six?--Joseph Boakye Danquah, Obetsebi-Lamptey, Ofori-Atta, Ako-Adjei, Kwame Nkrumah & Akufo-Addo; these were the leaders of the UGCC who fought for Ghana's independence.

HOW FAR HAS GHANA COME?

Ghana has come this far but what can we boast of as a nation that began on the same page with Singapore, Malaysia and our friends in the East? Although some may argue that coups (military interventions) are a necessary evil in a dictatorial regime, subsequent coups have shown Africa beyond doubt that the best military government is no better than the worst republic/civilian government. Today, Ghana, though 49 years old is still crawling thanks to our men in uniform. In fact the Military as an institution needs to apologize to Africa and their respective countries. And let us hope and pray that there shall be no more coups in Ghana and Africa as a whole. The military must respect and honor the Constitution(s) of the land and stay out of the administration of the state since it is not their expertise. This must be emboldened emphatically in our military code of conduct. It should be a crime to stage a coup, even where one succeeds. But would it be possible to keep the military out if we do not have any safeguard against dictatorship and arbitrary governments (who might rig elections)? How do we make sure that as a nation a group of elites do not lord over the nation or that one person in the name of a president will not run the country to the ground or as his/her own kingdom? Perhaps a sound education and orientation of our potential leaders would be the way to go in the immediate future.

As concern citizens we hereby suggest the following (as originally advocated by Nifah Bankroh).

Proposition One

A number of measures that should help significantly cut down on the resurgent acts of corruption, graft, inefficiency, corruption, waste and bad governance that have plagued Ghana since its independence.

He proposes as follows.

That all Ghanaians with an interest in contesting for elected office (Unit/Development Committee Member, Assemblyman, Parliamentarian, etc) as well as Ghanaians with an interest in being appointed to other non elected positions in the executive, legislature or judiciary, must as a matter be certified as competent.

That this certification of competence take the form of a structured, formal tertiary level academic course of study to last no less than eighteen months and no more than twenty months.

That it includes courses in statecraft, law, economics, finance, development studies, ethics, civil and human rights, accountability, anti corruption, good governance as well as any other relevant subject such as to furnish those who take this course with a minimal foundation in nation building.

That it be titled, ?Nation Building? and that one should have to produce and defend a ?thesis before being allowed to graduate.

That certification in this course be used as the means of entry to contest an elect able and or appoint able position, be it partisan, non partisan or independent.

That this ?Proposition? takes effect from the year 2010. That those persons who will already have been in positions be ?Grandfathered? in.

That also upon entry into this course, a process of psychological examination will be conducted on all participants and a psychometric profile of the participants be developed. As part of this process, an intelligence quotient and problem solving test be carried out.

The intention of these measures which are currently employed by numerous corporations, institutions and certain security agencies of a number of governments, should allow us to weed out most of the opportunists and rabble rousers who enter into politics as a means to simply enrich themselves easier.

It will allow us to separate the wheat from the chaff and the sheep from the goats and select the best of our human resource that have the right aptitude for the very important and very critical task of nation building.

The intention is to pass this proposal into law as and act or to make it a constitutional amendment by means of a popular referendum.

I am inclined to think that all well meaning Ghanaians will support such a measure. It can do nothing but help us.

The cost of such a course will have to be borne by the participant. Only the serious need apply.