A United States-based Ghanaian professor, Kwaku Asare, has asked the appointing authority to consider the Executive Director of the CDD Ghana, Professor H Kwesi Prempeh as the next Speaker of Parliament.
Professor Asare said the chamber needs a Speaker who is more of a nationalist than a partyist.
“The Parliamentary results may very well strengthen Parliament and finally liberate it from the jaws of the executive. To facilitate the transformation, the chamber needs a Speaker who is more of a nationalist than a partyist. With global respect to the chamber, may I recommend for its consideration Professor H Kwasi Prempeh,” he said in a Facebook after the announcement of the results of the presidential election on Wednesday December 9.
He further asked the two leading political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to come together to work on taking the influence of money from politics.
He noted that campaigns are too costly, are not focused on ideas and set the stage for bad governance.
“Hopefully, both parties now understand why the Constitution imposes a requirement of internal democracy and why some of us have been advocating for a one person one vote (OPOV) in party primaries.
“Hopefully, all future Presidents understand why too many ministers are bad for the country, party and the ministers themselves. If you appoint 120 ministers, that means taking away, at least, 60 MPs from their day job and their constituencies. The country suffers a legislative drain. The party’s caucus is weakened. The ministers are distracted from their constituencies, on average. Oversight suffers.
“All Presidents, from Nkrumah to Nana, have been done in by sycophants. No President needs those who can only tell him or her how good it is. Fear sycophants. Hopefully, the myth that voters do not care about corruption is totally and utterly debunked. Voters do care!!
“Merely because you have power does not empower you to do things that are disallowed by the Constitution. Leave independent officers alone. Think Fomena. The country is begging for public sector reforms. There are many low hanging fruits. For instance, depoliticize and professionalize Boards and SOEs. Legislators do not belong on SOE Boards. Ex gratia should be a thing of the past.
“Avoid projects that do not make sense. No need for the state to get entangled with building shrines. But if it has to build shrines, locate them in Asamankese. Both parties must come together to work on taking the influence of money from our politics. Campaigns are too costly, are not focused on ideas and set the stage for bad governance.
“We do not like cronyism and nepotism. We do not like unqualified appointees. Such appointments cheapen government and public service.”
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana
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