NDC, NPP, others interested in power not governance – Casely Hayford

Financial Analyst Sydney Casely Hayford has hit hard at political parties in Ghana saying they are only interested in winning elections and not proper governance.

According to him, the violence and confusion that characterizes the operations of the various political parties in the country is due to the get ‘rich quick through politics’ mindset.

Casely Hayford added that the ultimate aim of these struggles are for personal gains and not to solve the nation’s numerous problems.

“Every time what I hear from politicians and political parties is that we must put structures in place to win power; they never say so we can come to govern, theirs is to win power, and that is their primary focus.”

Speaking on Citi FM’s The Big Issue, Casely Hayford said such mindset if not changed will retard Ghana’s development.

Casely Hayford, who was speaking on the current standoff within the New Patriotic Party (NPP), argued that political parties devise several mechanisms to win elections because “they want to become powerful. By getting power, they, therefore, get the opportunity to do whatever that they want. Whether they want to govern, or they want to cheat or steal or divert funds, the power gives them that opportunity to do so.”

He said, “that is the cracks of the problem that we have. We have foot soldiers, executives, people jockeying for positions, for power, trying to make themselves relevant within the party structures so that eventually they will become some powerful people [in the society].”

Casely Hayford also reiterated that “…we have sold the idea into the minds of people who are our political followers that if you become a minister or leader of a powerful committee in Parliament you have the opportunity to make money.”