WHY ALWAYS THEM “POLITICIANS” THINK ABOUT THE TECHNOCRAT AND PUBLIC SERVANTS FOR JUST A SECOND

15th May 2016
Article for Publication

WHY ALWAYS THEM “POLITICIANS” THINK ABOUT THE TECHNOCRAT AND PUBLIC SERVANTS FOR JUST A SECOND.

In our quest of trying to build a good society,promote good governance and having access to basic social amenities, we often think politicians are the ones in society who are either naturally or socially mandated to lead in the provision of these services.

To some extent, I totally agree to this view primarily due to the way our political system is structured in Ghana. Politicians in our country have almost full control of all resources in the country . So the idea about them leading in the provision of these services are not far from right. However, lets forget about the politician just for today.

For a second, lets forget about the politician and shift the attention to our real “killers” of the society “The Technocrats and Public Servants”. How often do we think about these guys in our society?, how often do we blame them?, how often do we hold them accountable? and how often do we hold them responsible? In view of this publication , I would kindly and sincerely want to focus on just my community/ constituency as a case study or example.

However, I think the same scenario happens almost every part of the country and therefore could be applied to your community or constituency as well.

Forget about JB AIDOO, OPPONG FOSU and BOADII. Today think about the doctors, nurses and midwives at the Wasssa Akropong gov’t hospital.

Think about the directors of the various departments in the constituency. For example, the director of education, director of health and the director of NHIA among others in the constituency. And for the sake of this argument let also bring in the various heads of departments at various Districts Assembly Offices.

The basic question is how best do we hold these people accountable?. Do we really get what we are supposed to get from them as a community. Are they carrying out effectively their mandate?. Are their services better or worse off than the politicians who are always on our lips for blame.

I know you encounter their bad and terrible Services on daily basis just like I do. The only problem we have here is that, we can’t or hardly complain about this poor and terrible services they offer to the general public. For the sake of making you understand the argument, I prefer we take these institutions one after the other and then thoroughly discuss them.

Today, lets us focus on the health institutions. How do the doctors, nurses, midwives and other health workers at the hospital treat you. Have you encountered the situation where nurses are doing morning prayers while very ill patients sit and wait to served?, or the situation where you go to the hospital on regular basis just to see the doctor but he or she is always not available? However, these doctors are always ready to serve patients at their private clinics?.

Have you come across the situation where nurses and other health workers have handled or spoken to you, your partner, or a relative in a way you felt like “an animal”?.

Have you also experience the situation where you have to sit for hours simply because the morning shift are not in yet to take over the night shift or vice versa? Have you also encountered the situation where nurses and other health workers alway have their headphones in their ears or always on their phones when giving out treatments to patients? or encountered that annoying situation when nurse and others health workers walk so relaxed at the hospital as if there’s nothing at stake? and finally the situation where the actions of any of these workers has actually resulted in the death of a relative or someone close and dear to you?.

Well, I’ve encountered all these horrible treatment at least ones at the Gov’t hospital at Akropong. What about you?. As a matter of fact I’ve had to deal with situations where very suck patients refuse to go the hospital because of they kind of treatment they are likely to face at the hospital. Does it have to so my brother/sister who works at the hospital?

What do we have to do to all these horrible challenges we are facing in the community? Are we to stay quiet with them forever or start the change now and forget the politician who is always attacked. Let start the CHANGE now. Share what happened to you at the hospital and lets work out the way forward and how to correct these irresponsible behavior of our technocrats and public servants.

Youth and colleagues in Wassaland, it is my view that we just don’t campaign for change for our politicians whenever our party in opposition but also campaign for a change in the kind of treatment we receive from these technocrats and public servants in our society. The campaign for change must be everyday. Put away the NPP/ NDC colours and start the campaign for change today. Put it your quota and let me put in mine and I can assure you Wassa will never be the same.
WE WILL SEE CHANGE SOON!
Kwame Amankwah.
MA International Relations
Sydney,Australia
kwameamankwah39@gmail.com