Dr. Ishmael Yamson, Chairman of the National Economic Dialogue Planning Committee, has made a strong case for urgent governance reforms in Ghana, arguing that the country’s constitutional framework enables corruption and weakens “meritocracy”.
Speaking in an interview, he expressed concerns about Ghana’s leadership culture, the inefficiency of the public sector, and the growing influence of money in politics.
At the core of his concerns is the unchecked power vested in the presidency.
He argued that the current system allows one individual to wield excessive control over public appointments, often leading to decisions that serve political and personal interests rather than national progress.
“You have a constitution that gives all the powers to one person, the president. He can appoint anybody and everybody and, therefore, people are not appointed on merit. They are appointed because the president can appoint them”
Dr. Ishmael Yamson, Chairman of the National Economic Dialogue Planning Committee
He emphasized that if a leader lacks a nationalist mindset, appointments will be dictated by party loyalty and personal connections rather than the skills required for the job.
Dr. Yamson insisted that leadership is the key determinant of national progress.
“Leadership determines success and failure. If the leadership is poor, the country will fail. If the leadership is strong, the country will succeed.”
Comparing governance to corporate management, he observed that strong leadership in the private sector has led to successful businesses, whereas poor governance in the public sector has resulted in failed states.
He argued that Ghana needs institutional checks and balances to ensure that political appointments are subjected to rigorous scrutiny and that national interest takes precedence over political expediency.
Inefficiency in the Public Sector
The inefficiency of the public sector also came under scrutiny as he highlighted the paradox of state-owned enterprises underperforming despite performance contracts being in place.
“What is the meaning of a performance contract if every year you sign it, and every year they still make a loss? What does it mean?”
He observed that in contrast to the private sector, where pay is directly tied to output, the public sector often negotiates salaries independently of performance.
He criticized the prevailing mentality that prioritizes job security over productivity.
“You hardly hear about improving productivity, but you must create wealth before you can share it,” he said.
Dr. Yamson recounted his own experience in corporate leadership, where employees had full visibility of the company’s financial performance.
“We used to publish our performance month by month on the notice board so that everybody knew whether we were making progress or not”
Dr. Ishmael Yamson, Chairman of the National Economic Dialogue Planning Committee
He argued that the public sector should adopt similar transparency and accountability measures to improve efficiency.
He did not attribute the problem solely to unionization but rather to a broken reward system.
“It is not about whether you belong to a union or not; it is about what you are contributing to the company. If you are not contributing anything, why should you get paid?”
Dr. Ishmael Yamson, Chairman of the National Economic Dialogue Planning Committee
He called for a shift in Ghana’s work culture, emphasizing that promotions and rewards should be earned based on merit rather than tenure.
He criticized the “attachment mentality,” where employees expect promotions simply because they have been in a position for a certain number of years.
“Ten years of delivering poor performance should not earn you a promotion,” he asserted.
Political Financing and State Capture Risks
Turning to the issue of political financing, Dr. Yamson expressed grave concerns about the lack of transparency in how elections are funded.
He cited a Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) -Ghana report, which found that a significant portion of campaign financing in the country comes from untraceable and potentially illicit sources.
“If you look at the financing of elections in Ghana today, a lot of it is coming from sources that are unknown. If we are not careful, we will sell our country”
Dr. Ishmael Yamson, Chairman of the National Economic Dialogue Planning Committee
According to him, political parties must be compelled to disclose their financial records.
“If you are a listed company, you must publish your financials. Why are political parties not publishing audited accounts?”
He argued that without transparency in party financing, the risk of state capture is high, as those who fund political campaigns often expect favors in return.
He pointed to international examples where powerful financial backers have taken control of governments, warning that Ghana could face a similar fate if reforms are not implemented.
Parliamentary Accountability and Independent Thinking
On parliamentary accountability, Dr. Yamson criticized the tendency of lawmakers to vote strictly along party lines.
“We have a Parliament where everybody who is in the ruling government says yes, and everybody who is in the opposition says no. So how do we get good governance?”
Dr. Ishmael Yamson, Chairman of the National Economic Dialogue Planning Committee
He contrasted this with legislative systems in the United States and the United Kingdom, where members of ruling parties sometimes challenge their own governments when policies are not in the best interest of the people.
Reflecting on Ghana’s national identity, Dr. Yamson also lamented the growing divisions within the country.
“I grew up at a time when we never thought about whether you were Ashanti, Ewe, or Ga. We were just Ghanaians,” he recalled.
He stressed the need for a return to a unifying national consciousness, where citizens prioritize Ghana’s development over political and ethnic affiliations.
“We need to reset this country now. If we don’t, the country is going to fail, and we will all suffer,” he cautioned.
For him, the time for action is now, and both political leaders and ordinary citizens must take responsibility for changing the trajectory of the nation.
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