Presidential performance
In Ghana, the President's performance is based on looks, how well he can smile and how frenetic the adulation he gets from the masses.
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It started with Nkrumah (who, although was just okay in looks, made up for the rest by his charisma).
It heightened at the time of Flt Lt JJ Rawlings (who is still extremely good looking with some charisma).
It continued with the former President John Mahama (who, like Nkrumah, is an “okay,” handsome President), and it has kept on to date, with our President, Nana Addo
Dankwa Akufo Addo, endeavouring to give us all his best smiles at the veneration of the masses.
That equals a good President and it is all because we watch them most of the time, thus if the person looks good and sounds right in our ears, he passes!
Uphill task
At a state enterprises forum on September 19, 2017, the Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori Atta, indicated the rationalisation of salaries of the chief executive officers of public state enterprises, so that they would not be earning more than the President.
That news got people talking, with some saying that productivity had to be the key in deciding the remuneration of CEOs.
Productivity eludes Ghanaians, and interviews with experts on remuneration and productivity, including the officials of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the Management Development and Productivity Institute (MDPI), show we all have an uphill task if we are to be productive and shore up the coffers of the country.
Perhaps, productivity eludes us because our leaders are not productive.
That is why our state institutions are unproductive and are being auctioned off!
The politicians can not handle it; they handle talk best, not well thought-out action for productive outcomes.
In the same week of the information of the rationalisation of the salaries of the CEOs, staff of the Volta River Authority (VRA) were agitating about the sale of the thermal assets of the company, while those at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) were also up in arms against a takeover.
Set pace
For a productive Ghana, where we produce enough to spare, the President may have to set the pace.
He may have to starve himself of the hollow praises of Ghanaians for a while, until he gets something really tangible of his vision implemented, for all to “really” praise him.
It would be nice not to see him for some time, but to know he is sitting to have a long conversation with his cabinet on the Right to Information (RTI) Bill to get it to Parliament as one of the very first bills to be worked on when the house resumes.
It would be great for him to be seen actually involved in some of the policy implementation fora, sharing his views and contesting others not in line with his vision.
Can you imagine President Akufo-Addo involved in a workshop on, for instance, the Affirmative Action Bill?
The sector minister will thereafter have several sleepless nights until the bill gets completed and forwarded to Parliament.
Parliamentarians too may do their jobs more conscientiously with the knowledge of the President’s input in the bill by his participation at the fora.
Maybe if the President and his executive were really, really productive and starved themselves of the empty praises of Ghanaians at durbars, regional tours and inspection rides for a while and really got to work, we would all follow suit.
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And why must an inspection of development projects be with cameras and journalists? Are the beneficiary communities not better witnesses and carriers of the news of the public good?
PS
It is also interesting how some of the President's men patronise him across the country in their daily speeches.
Yes, he is the President and their leader, but must they always be mentioning his name in a speech, as if it is a test they are taking?
What is their own analysis of the President's insight or broad policy initiative and how are they adapting it to local and community challenges daily?
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They try to overdo each other in regular mentions of the president's name and his vision in their speeches.
Yes, we know the vision, but can we progress with the action?