In opposition, you speak English and get away with it; in power, words have their limits—only works have their way. After eight years of talking and eight of trying to appeal to Ghanaians that the best people are those not at the helm, the desired change has been delivered. Now, only the results will count.
JM has made some interesting appointments. He has strategically placed talkers in key positions so they deliver on the talk—it’s a trap. I won’t say this is the most inspiring appointment, nor will I say they do not merit it. Politics is essentially “hand go, hand come”—those who fight the hardest in opposition enjoy the spoils after electoral victory.
Some people have been given positions they never dreamt of occupying. They have been tasked with making a difference in areas where they will have to start as students. We don’t care. We see them as the best the President has, and we expect nothing but that. Sam George, for eight years, didn’t allow Ursula to breathe; now he has four years to prove that he was not just a talker but a walker.
The Ministry of Communication is supposed to champion Ghana’s digitalization drive in an era when artificial intelligence has become a major cash cow. Africa is estimated to benefit by three trillion dollars from this. What Ghana’s share will be is to be determined by the ministry. You can’t talk your way out of it.
Okudzeto, corruption chaser turned Foreign Minister. I’d have preferred him in another role. Traditionally, foreign ministers are supposed to be diplomatic. In my estimation, his combative nature could render him a square peg in a round hole. He cannot continue engaging in radio and TV banter any longer. His peers outside won’t revere him to the extent they should if he is always in the headlines, engaged in daily murky political debates. He was privileged enough to be one of the few allowed to choose where they wanted to be, and he opted for where his presidential ambition would be boosted the most. It’s generally a safe ministry, predominantly out of the daily surveillance of journalists. He shouldn’t be the one to make it a pressure point.
Haruna Iddrisu has the most difficult job. Education is a sector you don’t want to be in if you want to be looked upon as a good person. Previous investments in populist ventures have stretched the government’s wage bill. Add that to populist campaign promises; the only way out is to rob Peter to pay Peter. From the early signs, Peter could be a teacher and nursing trainee allowance, whereas Paul will most likely be sponsored for university entrance. The Free SHS review could deliver yet another unpalatable announcement: parents having to feed their children while the government takes care of the cost of their education. There is a neglected basic school system that needs attention. There is the enhanced student’ loan scheme that needs to be looked at. If he can get out of this, what looks like a dimmed political fortune could experience a massive revival. He is in a situation where failing is easier than succeeding. But who else to do this than one of the NDC’s finest of the past two decades?
The Agric Minister was the darling boy of the entire vetting. He demonstrated so much knowledge that the minority, in a lighthearted manner, had to beg him to stop overloading them with details. The talk was one thing, but the most important thing is how that will translate into ensuring that we no longer spend tens of billions of dollars importing onions and tomatoes. Will he continue with Planting for Food and Jobs, or is there an alternative policy?
I have seen a few videos of Malik Basintale at the National Youth Employment Agency. He looked humbled and overwhelmed by the elevation. His much-touted aggression cannot bail him out here. Now, he has to deliver results. The 5,000 men and 3,000 women who created a nuisance with him on motorcycles will start coming for jobs. Leadership is a place where you lose friends due to unmet expectations. Talk may be cheap, but if it paves the way for you to be given a role, then a good price has been placed on it, and you have to walk it.
Sammy Gyamfi finds himself in a place where he won’t be in the news a lot—unless he wants to be. Precious Minerals Marketing Company is the state’s gold and minerals buyer. The company manages the jewelry industry. They are barely in the news, but it is a controller of billions. JM simply decided to reward and protect Sammy, and I must say he deserves it.
For JM, he is acting like a man we can teach little to nothing. His social capital has never been this high. He has taken some risks with his appointments. He has unleashed the once-upon-a-time “babies with sharp teeth” into manhood. How he guides them—especially the greens among them and the extent to which he aligns them with his vision and gets them to serve with integrity is going to define his legacy.
JM has a duty to protect his name. That cannot be done if he pampers his appointees and refuses to hold them accountable.
The love of today will give way to proper scrutiny in no time. The distance between being a darling boy and being touted as as a nation-wrecker in our part of the world is quite short.
We are reasonable (some of us). We know that making a difference under the current circumstances takes time. However, we can recognize good decisions from the very beginning, and that is where accountability will begin.
From Kofipedia, we wish the new government well.
Kofi Kyei
