Ghana's national development is significantly hampered by excessive 'politicking' rather than genuine politics, according to Ing. Prof. Douglas Boateng. This shift, where ambition for the nation is quietly replaced by ambition for a political party, has cost Africa incalculable decades of development.
Politicking prioritizes political survival over national survival. It focuses on defeating opponents instead of solving problems. Every policy is judged by its proposer, not by its potential to improve lives. This partisan approach diverts resources and attention from critical national objectives.
This trend fits into a broader narrative of stalled progress in Ghana and across Africa. Essential sectors like education, industrialization, and infrastructure development often become political battlegrounds. Projects initiated by one administration are frequently delayed, reviewed, or abandoned by the next, not always due to lack of merit but because they carry the fingerprints of a predecessor. This cycle leads to repeated spending of public resources and delayed services for citizens.
Ing. Prof. Douglas Boateng, a Chartered Director and Engineer, states, "Politics builds nations when it becomes a tool for solving problems. Politicking destroys nations when it becomes an end in itself." He emphasizes that the same institutions and political energy can either build or destroy, depending entirely on whether individuals prioritize the nation above themselves. This perspective underscores the critical role of intention in governance.
The implications are profound for Ghana's economic future and its citizens. The continuous politicization of national priorities means that long-term development goals remain elusive. Decision-makers must shift focus from short-term political gains to sustainable national progress. Markets and investors will closely watch for signs of policy continuity and a commitment to completing essential projects, regardless of which party initiated them. A failure to address this issue will continue to impede economic growth and social welfare.
The expert highlights that national development should resemble the construction of a cathedral. Those who lay the foundations may never see the completed structure. However, every generation contributes its part because the vision is larger than individual recognition. African politics, conversely, often produces leaders who prefer ribbon-cutting to foundation-laying, and announcements over completions. This preference for immediate credit over continuity is detrimental to sustained progress.
Furthermore, the politicization of issues like the fight against corruption, agricultural transformation, and infrastructure development prevents a unified national approach. These areas should transcend party lines and be treated as national objectives. When politicians make these issues partisan, they effectively steal from a future generation that will bear the consequences. The 'shade belongs to the citizen, not the party,' and projects belong to the nation, not the administration that began them.
Maturity in governance is not measured by the number of projects a government starts. It is measured by how many projects a nation completes, regardless of who receives the credit. This perspective is crucial for Ghana to achieve its development potential. The current approach leads to a 'collective sleepwalking,' where the nation falls behind while political factions argue over blame. This constant bickering prevents the necessary consensus on critical national priorities.
Countries like Germany and South Korea rebuilt and industrialized by agreeing on certain things that lay above political differences. Singapore built institutions designed to outlive political personalities. Ghana possesses the intelligence, resources, and vision to achieve similar success. However, it lacks the agreement that some national priorities are simply too consequential to become permanent political trophies. This lack of consensus is perhaps the most expensive consequence of permanent politicking.