Professor Stephen Adei, former GIMPA Rector
A former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Professor Stephen Adei, has cautioned Ghanaians not to make the mistake of bringing back former President John Dramani Mahama to power, saying that will not be in the interest of the country’s development.
To him, the former President, whose tenure witnessed massive mismanagement of the economy, is not fit to run the country again since he lacks “the full complement of leadership competencies”.
Professor Adei, who gave the caution yesterday on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, added that the country’s development will suffer greatly if Mr Mahama is allowed anywhere near the presidency again. The professor had given similar caution in October 2016.
Nothing to offer
According to Professor Adei, the former President’s record of performance in government is nothing to write home about.
“John Dramani Mahama today, as he was then, does not have the full complement of leadership competencies, be it on vision, strategic thinking, selecting and leading a team, curbing the menace of corruption or prosecuting a credible development agenda,” he said.
He added: “In our democracy, we will have to believe in people’s choice, but Ghana will be worse off if Mahama ever becomes a president again. I think the NDC did a disservice in fielding him, as a one-term presidential candidate who can serve only four years”.
Professor Adei further noted that there are more capable leaders in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who would perform better than Mr Mahama.
He stated that Mr Mahama was elected to lead the NDC again by virtue of his money, and not because of track record.
“Ghana’s politics does not always produce the best candidate but those who ‘monecracy’ and propaganda favour,” he said.
NDC’s running mate
Commenting on Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman’s selection as the running mate to former President Mahama, he argued that the track record of the NDC running mate is not enough grounds for her to hold the office of the Vice-President.
According to him, even though her being a former Vice-Chancellor and Education Minister is essential, that isn’t enough to measure her leadership skills.
“It is not sufficient criteria for success in that high office. It is a total national development management job,” he said.
About records
Meanwhile, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said the December 7 election is about records of development and leadership between him and former President Mahama.
“Whether you are a Muslim or a Christian, it should not be part of our discourse and, clearly, gender should also not be part of our discourse.
“We are looking at all kinds of records and competences, so it should be possible that the discussion before the Ghanaian people to be discussions about competences, abilities, records, achievement, output…,” the President said this on Sunday when he held a meeting with members of the NPP campaign communications advisory team via zoom.
“For the first time in our history, we are going to go into an election where the two major parties are being led by a President and his predecessor. It has not happened before. Usually it is an incumbent against somebody who is coming for the first time,” he said.
He added that looking at the records of the two presidents in the period of their terms, making the comparison will go a long way to ensure that Ghanaians make an informed decision before voting.
“So, as far as identifying the two critical issues that we have to define for the Ghanaian election, I think you are spot on in insisting, first of all, on the comparison of records, how effective both presidents have been in furthering social and economic advances,” he said.
“We still have to ask ourselves who best can manage the affairs of the country, both in normal times as well as in extra-ordinary times like these last three or four months,” he said
Source: Daily Statesman
