Former United Nations Governance Advisor, Professor Baffour Agyeman-Duah, has expressed concerns over Ghana’s political appointment system, arguing that it undermines professionalism and national development.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, he criticized the widespread practice of political patronage, where incoming governments replace officials with their own supporters.
“If you look at it critically, in my humble view, it doesn’t make sense to do that,” he remarked.
“But currently, the system allows it to happen, so it is not about blaming individuals like President Mahama or anyone else; it’s the system that they inherit,” he added.
Professor Agyeman-Duah noted that successive governments have continued this practice, often with the expectation that new administrations will bring in their own appointees, sidelining experienced officials.
He warned of the negative impact of such political decisions on national progress.
“If you are going to attach that to development, it is a serious matter,” he said, stressing that this approach can derail sustainable growth.
Comparing Ghana’s system to that of other countries, he cited Thailand as an example where politics and development are clearly separated.
“I happen to be in a country where I am speaking from (Thailand), where they have cleverly divorced politics from development. The politicians can do all they want, but when it comes to development, implementation policies, and all, it is the civil service that has developed professionalism, and they carry on,” he explained.
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