Senior Lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, Kwame Asah-Asante, has thrown his support behind the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) directive requiring party executives to choose between holding government appointments and occupying elective party positions.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Monday, Dr Asah-Asante said the policy is a necessary step to promote efficiency in both governance and party organisation.
Dr Asah-Asante argued that Ghana must consider introducing clearer legal provisions to regulate such arrangements.
“If it is not locked up in any law, I think the NDC must take steps to put that thing in so that people can be clear in their minds from the word go,” he said.
Dr Asah-Asante further proposed that the country could even adopt a broader constitutional principle to prevent party executives from being appointed into major government positions while still holding party office.
“The country should also be at that level to say that if somebody is an executive, he or she cannot be appointed to positions of government,” he added.
According to him, attempting to combine the responsibilities of a government appointee and a party executive risks weakening performance on both fronts.
“We need people to be able to serve effectively either as ministers or as party leaders because if you put them together, then you are going to create a situation where one of the positions will suffer,” he stated.
Dr Asah-Asante further noted that the directive comes at a critical time for the NDC as it positions itself for future elections and prepares for leadership continuity beyond President John Dramani Mahama.
He stressed that whoever succeeds President Mahama must be able to build on his political record and mobilise the party effectively. “This is the time for all hands on deck to be able to work and work effectively so that the party can win elections,” he said.
He explained that separating party leadership roles from government appointments would allow individuals to concentrate fully on their mandates, rather than being overstretched.
The NDC’s directive, announced last week, has generated debate within the party, with some executives opposing the move and arguing that individuals can effectively manage both responsibilities.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com