The president, his decisions and his party's interest

What has become very clear to Ghanaians, whether right or wrong, is that nine days ago President J A Kufuor took that big decision to sack his National Security Minister of seven years with very little consultation as to how best to go about it.

Cabinet Ministers such as the Attorney-General, Defence Minister, Information Minister, Interior Minister and others whose names Qanawu is too embarrassed to mention only got to hear about Francis Poku's dismissal after it had been announced on radio.

It could be said to be a decision taken, if not in consultation with then in the presence of only core members of President Kufuor's kitchen cabinet: Chief of Staff Kwadwo Okyere Mpiani and Secretary to the President D K Osei.

The weaknesses in the current quasi-informal structure of doing things have been painfully exposed. But, one must take a positive posture here by focusing on what lessons can be learnt and how to make sure those lessons are learnt. The way the whole exercise of Francis Poku?s dismissal and handing over was bun-handled could be easily construed as an expensive but timely signal on the need to rejig presidential affairs for the next eleven or so months of President Kufuor?s 8 years.

After seven years in office and with a cabinet that has been so unfairly described as 'injury time? squad, there is always the human tendency for ?superiority mongering? on the part of the Commander-in-Chief. Thus, advice from his staff or cabinet members that he would have easily paid particular attention to four years ago, he is likely to find ?boring? today. The President has to be restrained from over-reaching his own principles for the sake of his legacy, party and country. With a presidential candidate elected and general elections in December, the relationship between party and government must be emphasised in ways that will ensure that decisions taken either at the Castle or at the West Airport residence do indeed bring mutual benefit rather than mutual deficit to both party and government.

The party, Cabinet and the President?s kitchen cabinet must all help him to ensure that pronunciamentos and decisions are made with the greater interest in mind. This is the time that the President?s 2001 belief in strong, collective leadership must be manifestly revived. This is not the time for subservient uniformity. The President must have the confidence and selflessness to relish rather than relinquish lively competition of ideas and welcome points of view that may differ from what he wants to hear.

Indeed, the NPP congress and the frightening culture that it created - where political appointees especially Ministers, felt obliged (using the pretext of intimidation and fear) to tow the line of the President?s preference in an unquestionable regimental manner uncharacteristic of the Danquah-Busia tradition ? should not be allowed to take hold.

President Kufuor owes his history, tradition, principles, values and legacy an overriding duty to restrain himself from being reckless. That threat of recklessness can only be real if those with whom he consults are prone to yes-manism.

The tendency to mistake a lickspittle groveller or kowtower to a true loyalist can be very dangerous in elective politics. It can easily turn a democrat into an elective dictator. That is why a President?s small inner circle of advisors must not be minions or simple Uriah Heeps. This is not to suggest that the wonderful, brilliant men and women who form his inner circle of advisors are not up to it. The responsibility is for them to stay ever honest to their intellectual constitution.

There is concern in the governing party?s intelligentsia over the threat of creating a situation in the NPP government today where the kitchen predominates over the parlour? If that is the case, then what indeed is the intellectual firepower of this kitchen cabinet? Has the President surrounded himself with intellectual, courageous and respectfully opinionated giants who are not given to self-preservation before national or party interest?

If that is the case, then when the President seemed to have been understandably afflicted by a momentary interlude of hotheadedness which sober head emerged to help steady matters?

Or are we to proceed this year with a presidency that prizes above all subservient uniformity? The nature of Ghana?s Constitution which gives the President enormous powers is such that the President has to surround himself with a reliable group of confident intellects and political loyalists, who are also equally loyal to party, country and principles.

Cabinet meetings may be long but are they still about deep discussions or exploration of alternative policies or views? If Kufuor does not readily draw upon the collective leadership of a talented, diverse Cabinet, with whom does he share the responsibilities of leadership?

If many of the major decisions of government are taken in closed-door consultation with Kufuor?s kitchen cabinet, like US leader Andrew Jackson did in the 19th century, then that informal cabinet has a very arduous responsibility to steadfastly assist the President maintain the posture and character that will secure and enhance his legacy to both party and country.

We all have kitchen cabinets. The issue is how often one keeps one?s kitchen cabinet clean and stockpiled with goods that have not expired, sharp knives and china without cracks. The usual is to avoid cleaning it until there?s no room for fresh groceries, Christmas hampers or more utensils. But, you don?t only have to walk into the kitchen in the middle of the night for some cold water after a hot, steamy session with her only to turn the light on to see cockroaches of all sizes dancing on your wares and stuff for you to discover a virtue in cleaning-up.

Ronald Reagan was certainly nowhere near as intellectually gifted as Kufuor, but he surrounded himself not only with wealthy, conservative California backers but men of intellectual weight, in a relationship at the White House guarded and strengthened by mutual respect. For example, Beer baron Joseph Coors, the most active member of Reagan?s kitchen cabinet also funded many think-tanks and policy institutes, such as the Heritage Foundation.

The party leadership, the presidential candidate, cabinet colleagues and the President must all make it a matter of policy to establish a relationship between party and government that ensures adequate consultation and ensures checks are put in place between now and December, but certainly without attempting to usurp or undermine the authority of the Commander-in-Chief. It is in everybody?s interest.

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