Professor Ransford Van Gyampo, a distinguished and senior Political Science Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon, has strongly condemned the move by the government to release GHS 150 million for road maintenance across the country.
The seasoned academic and researcher in a scathing critique, described the move by the government as a “blatant insult to the intelligence” of Ghanaians, and further urged citizens to hold governments and political leadership accountable and responsible amidst such election-year gestures.
According to Professor Gyampo, such basic and elementary tasks fall within the regular responsibilities of Public Works Departments (PWDs) and Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
He noted that the decision by government to deny them of the needed resources and releasing money in an election year for them to undertake a basic task is unpleasant.
The timing of releasing funds in an election year, according to Professor Gymapo, raises concerns about the intentions behind the allocation by the ruling New Patriotic Party.
“As we grow and become more discerning, we must not look on for our poor people to subserviently praise works that are expected to be done, but deliberately delayed to be undertaken in an election year, just for the purposes of soliciting for votes. This is a bogus practice that must be outgrown by our democratic practice”.
Professor Ransford Van Gyampo
Expressing his discontent, Professor Ransford Van Gyampo emphasized the need for Ghanaians to thwart what he perceives as efforts by the ruling New Patriotic Party under President Akufo-Addo to perpetuate tendencies of allocating resources strategically for electoral gains.
Furthermore, Professor Ransford Van Gyampo, the seasoned Political Scientist urged the various opposition parties to establish a dedicated machinery, not centered around specific individuals, to keep the current administration on its toes.
Professor Van Gyampo strongly asserted that, such a move would ensure that the government effectively discharge its mandates and responsibilities which is in line with the “fiduciary” trust reposed in them by the people of Ghana.
According to Professor Gyampo, the audacity with which sometimes the ruling government conducts itself and often makes bold but uninformed and unsubstantiated claims, especially about how they have performed, speaks to the weaknesses of the opposition, hence there is the need for the opposition political parties to effectively discharge its watchdog role in the country.
“Ghana belongs to all of us but it is more responsible thing to do for the political elites seeking for political power to be more forceful and proactive in tackling and haggling the ruling government for the purposes of keeping them on their toes.
“Civil Society and Academics can only augment what the political elites do”.
Professor Ransford Van Gyampo
A Call For A Shift Towards A Better Government Style
Moreover, the President of the University Teachers Association of Ghana, University of Ghana Chapter strongly advocated for a shift towards a better government style in Ghana’s political landscape, which would focused on solving problems for the sake of the people rather than seeking votes through delayed, election-year interventions.
Drawing parallels with historical instances, such as the reduction of petrol prices in 2008 by former President John Agyekum Kufour, Professor Ransford Van Gyampo recounted that such tactics are outdated and unlikely to resonate with an increasingly discerning electorate.
In addition, Professor Ransford Van Gyampo warned of a gradual dissipation of public confidence in Ghana’s political landscape and further attributed it, in part, to vote-buying tendencies often deployed by incumbent administration.
He thus called on the next generation of political leaders in Ghana to rescue the nation from a sense of “despondency”, emphasizing that democracy itself is at risk if public confidence in duty bearers and political leaders continues to erode.
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