Established Democratic countries across the globe recognize that the pivot around which democracy as a governance system revolves is its ability to deliver to the people, essential public goods. More often than not, the vehicle for the delivery of these essential public goods like good roads, electricity, water, et al depends on the quality of public officials who are appointed to run the state machinery. This basic underpinning of governance is what gives rise to the concept of democratic meritocracy.<\/p>\n
Lee Kuan Yews Singapore and Seretse Khama\u2019s Botswana are country\u2019s that have adopted this variation of democracy and has worked well for them. Under a meritocratic democracy, people who hold offices within the state machinery are entrusted with such roles exclusively due to their ability<\/strong> and talent<\/strong>.\u00a0 Rising through the ranks in such a political system is based solely on performance measured through examination and\/or a proven track record in the field where their services are required in government.<\/p>\n As a young parliamentary reporter for CITI 97.3 FM, I sat through the vetting of the MP for Nkwanta North, John Oti Bless or John Bless Oti (I am confused because he could not even tell the Appointments Committee of Parliament what the right order of his name is), in bemusement as he found it difficult to justify even why District Chief Executives should be elected or not. His claim to competence in the arena of Local Government and Rural Development where the President has appointed him to serve as Deputy Minister, is his tenure as an assembly member for a part of the Odododiodioo enclave in Oko Vanderpuye\u2019s Accra Metropolitan Assembly.<\/p>\n Oti Bless as a person has done well for himself in business considering the companies he runs in his constituency and in the national capital but am afraid that alone does not demonstrate that he is the most capable person the governing NDC and President Mahama can offer us to serve in a key ministry such as local government.<\/p>\n To compound the woes of Oti Bless, it emerged after his uninspiring performance at the vetting that he was part of the \u201cBiegya\u201d Montie trio who threatened to take the lives of Justices of the Supreme Court including her ladyship the Chief Justice. His accomplices Alistair Nelson, Godwin Ako Gunn and Pampaso host Salifu \u201cMugabe\u201d Maase are in Nsawam serving their prison term for the contemptuous comments. I will not examine the merits of the argument of whether Oti Bless should join them in jail or not. That is a conversation for another day. The issue of the incriminating tape was raised on the floor of parliament by the Minority Spokesperson On constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Hon Joe Owusu subsequent to which two petitions were sent to the speaker of Parliament by Richard Asante Yeboah and a final year student of the University of Ghana, Jonathan Xornuivie Asare calling on Parliament to reject Oti Bless\u2019 nomination. The Speaker before parliament adjourned sine die directed Oti Bless to appologise to the Chief Justice. Oti Bless did this in an exclusive interview with CitiNews. The multi-million dollar question is, should parliament just approve Oti Bless because he has apologized for his disparaging comments? Certainly not.<\/p>\n I believe that Public officials must demonstrate capacity before being handed juicy positions to run\u00a0 aspects of the state machinery. By all measurements of meritocracy and demonstrable competence, the Honorable Nkwanta North Mp does not meet the bar. The argument of regional balance and the President having to please Konkombas and people of Northern Volta extraction is neither here nor there. Do we want a competent deputy minister or this is simply a vote-garnering decision. A lot of Ghana\u2019s governance problems will be solved when the country begins to appoint people into positions of authority on merit and not because they shout loudest in defence of government policies on radio or TV.<\/p>\n May be the quest for a meritocratic democracy for Ghana must begin with this OtI Bless Nomination saga. Many Ghanaians look up to parliament and the president to save us the ordeal of having a deputy Minister like Oti Bless. President Mahama must withdraw the appointment of Oti Bless or Parliament must do the needful by rejecting his nomination.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n By: Duke Mensah Opoku\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Established Democratic countries across the globe recognize that the pivot around which democracy as a governance system revolves is its ability to deliver to the people, essential public goods. More often than not, the vehicle for the delivery of these essential public goods like good roads, electricity, water, et al depends on the quality of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":235448,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[374],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n