Dr Dickson Adomako Kissi, former Member of Parliament for Anyaa-Sowutuom constituency, has stated that Ghana is losing out by prioritising political loyalty over professional competence in the appointment of people to key public positions,
According to him, successive governments must move beyond the practice of rewarding political loyalists and instead appoint people with the technical knowledge, experience and expertise required to deliver in their respective positions.
Speaking to Isaac Addae on Morning Starr, Dr Kissi said there are professionals within both the NPP and NDC who possess the expertise needed to occupy critical positions, and political affiliation should not be the determining factor in their selection.
He argued that where a qualified person exists outside the governing party, government should still be willing to appoint that individual if the person’s competence makes them the best fit for the job.
“Governments should not hesitate to appoint qualified professionals simply because they are not members of the governing party, stressing that competence should take precedence over political affiliation”. he said.
Dr Kissi said the problem extends beyond political appointments at the national level, stressing that poor leadership choices can affect employee morale and ultimately the performance of state institutions.
He cited the example of VALCO, arguing that workers are unlikely to remain motivated when a person with little knowledge of the organisation’s core operations is appointed to lead them.
“If I may be at VALCO, you bring me somebody with no knowledge about energy, no business experience, nothing about how we negotiate energy-related transactions, or even the human resource management of VALCO employees, and then you expect me to be happy with you. It kills employee morale,” he said.
He therefore called for a system where competence and institutional experience are given greater consideration in public appointments, regardless of which political party is in government.
The former MP maintained that Ghana has enough professionals across the political divide who can provide continuity and expertise when governments change.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Pamela Quayson
