The Jerusalem PostOne dead, 12 injured in partial building collapse in BrooklynPunchOsinbajo, Olanipekun, NBA president honour retiring OsipitanCNN Türk7 yıllık kayıp dosyasında 6 gözaltı한겨레안철수 “한동훈 복당? 물귀신 행태…차라리 창당을”ZDF heuteEntdecken Sie das ZDF-NachrichtenstudioThe Sydney Morning HeraldBeau Lamarre-Condon trial live updates: Accused double murderer, former NSW Police officer returns to witness box after judge sends jury home due to to ‘unexpected issue’경향신문[속보]이 대통령, 3박4일간 필리핀·중국 순방…아세안·APEC 정상회의 참석매일경제“AI주 더 갈까, 꺾일까”…‘몸값 1.4조 달러’ 앤트로픽 상장에 투심 달렸다Vanguard2027 Elections: Beyond INEC, 375 Judges’ integrity under trialGolem.deZweite Affäre: Nvidia erwägt offenbar Jensen Huangs AbsetzungLenta.ruВ США подали тысячи исков против производителей «Оземпика»BillboardAriana Grande & Ricky Alvarez Make Red-Carpet Debut at ‘Focker-in-Law’ NYC Premiere: See Photos
The Daily Newsstand · Free, Always
Thursday, November 12, 2026

Appoint Clowns. Get a Circus

Translate

One of the biggest obstacles to Ghana’s economic and social development is not a shortage of ideas, policies or even resources. It is the chronic appointment of incompetent people to positions that demand competence, leadership and results.

Take our Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives. For decades, many have presided over communities that remain filthy, poorly planned, environmentally deplorable and barely liveable. Roads are neglected, drains remain choked, sanitation is appalling, public spaces are abandoned and basic urban management appears to be an alien concept.

Yet, somehow, we keep changing governments without changing the conditions in which people live.

What exactly do some of these appointees do? Beyond occupying offices, attending meetings, making political appearances and distributing photographs of themselves, what measurable difference have they made to the communities entrusted to them?

We must confront an uncomfortable truth: political loyalty is not a qualification for administrative competence. Being a party activist, campaign financier or familiar face in the corridors of political power does not automatically make anyone capable of managing a district, municipality or metropolis.

A government can have the most brilliant manifesto, the most ambitious development agenda and the most eloquent presidential speeches. But if the people entrusted with implementation lack imagination, discipline, initiative and basic managerial competence, the outcome is predictable: grand promises, mediocre execution and another four years of excuses.

Development is not delivered by manifestos. It is delivered by people who know what they are doing.

We must stop treating public appointments as political compensation packages. Critical positions must be occupied by people who can think, organise, innovate, mobilise resources and deliver measurable outcomes.

Ghana does not need more ceremonial officeholders. It needs problem-solvers.

If we keep appointing people who cannot transform their immediate surroundings, we should stop pretending they will transform a nation.

Add MyJoyOnline as a preferred source on GoogleSee more of our stories when you search on Google. (opens in a new tab)

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Tags:  

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

View the original on MyJoyOnline →

KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.