We are too partisan – President Mahama

Ghana is a beacon of democracy in Africa. The country is among the fastest growing economies in the world with an expected GDP growth of over 8 percent in 2012, when the final estimates are made. This growth has been contributed to largely by oil and cocoa revenues.

But the country is deeply divided around political party lines, and the President has admitted to that.

Addressing Ghanaians in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he had attended and addressed the 20th Ordinary Session of the AU Summit of Heads of State and Government Monday January 28, 2013, President John Mahama said, “We are too partisan.” He told the citizens that when Ghanaians with expertise are appointed to positions, then people come to say ‘he or she was not part of us when we were struggling to win power for the party.’

According to the President emphasis should be on expertise rather than partisanship.

The President reiterated the fact that, despite the positive image the country is gaining and the positive economic growth, growing partisanship is a worry and he asked Ghanaians to deal with that.

The President since returning home from the Summit has  sworn-in seven Ministers of State into office.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi, back from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia