Ghana’s Development Hindered by Excessive, Reckless Politicization of Critical Sectors – Dr. Elvis Botah

Dr. Elvis Banoemuleng Botah, a Chartered Management Consultant and Researcher, said excessive politicization of key sectors in Ghana is undermining the country’s development progress.

Dr Botah noted that Africa’s continued underdevelopment “has nothing but the cheap, useless and reckless politicisation of every important sector of our economy.”

He said this during his keynote address at the official opening of the Association of Professional Development Communicators (APDC) Ghana in Accra on Friday, July 5.

In his speech, Dr Botah lamented that in many areas political considerations prevail over merits.

In his opinion, access to opportunities and resources is currently determined by party affiliation, not skills and qualifications.

“It’s who you know and which politician knows you that matters. Your promotion at work depends on which politician likes you or which political party you belong to,” Dr. Botah said.

The researcher warned that this level of politicization is a serious obstacle to real development.

“Unless we take a monumental step towards across-the-board politicization of key development sectors, we can only expect a huge and deplorable gap in our development efforts,” he noted.

Dr Botah emphasised the need to create a more sustainable and resilient framework that puts long-term development first rather than short-term political gains.