In the lifespan of a government when it can no longer take effective decisions or roll out meaningful policies, projects and programmes. This period is the “lame duck” moment. Mostly a time for government officials to start drafting their handing over notes.
The period typically comes a year and half or a year to the next general elections and in the case of Ghana it would have been from the middle of next year 2023.
But unfortunately for President Akufo Addo, his “lame duck” period arrived rather too early as a result of, perhaps, his governance style and the less than satisfactory management of the economy and the excruciating hardships Ghanaians are currently experiencing.
Some Ghanaians may not be abreast with what happens during this period in governance. It is the time the government has finalised the set of development policies, projects, and programmes and rolled them out for implementation and monitoring for the past six years. Any government should be preparing to start commissioning or evaluating the various stages of these policies, projects and programmes.
In the last few years of a government’s life, normally witnesses investor apathy, therefore the needed capital is not available. In fact this period sees some form of capital flight too, especially when investors are not too sure of the security of their investments.
Our development partners and donor agencies are withholding their grants and budgetary support with a ‘wait and see’ attitude, and no access to concessionary loans. In this regard it has become difficult for the government to balance its books especially when the government has over borrowed and spent on consumption instead of investing in capital projects.
It is therefore interesting to hear government making insincere promises around this time knowing these will not see the light of day. As it is, government has becomes desperate and stampeded because there are so many agitations from labour unions and other trade unions for salaries, wages and allowances increments or better conditions of service.
Wherever the President, Vice President, First Lady or government officials go, there are requests for projects and other demands from Chiefs, Religious leaders, opinion leaders, students, and the youth, in many communities. We are currently seeing some of these agitations from communities across the country calling on the government to construct their roads, provide portable water, health and educational facilities. They know the government is about to leave office and are asking for their share of the national cake putting undue pressure on the budget.
The government cannot cope with the volume of requests, demands and pressure from labour unions and across board. That is the situation President Akufo Addo and his government is currently going through.
So be aware that from now until 2024 of January 7th 2025, when the he hands over power, there is absolutely nothing this government can do for Ghanaians in terms of policies to alleviate our sufferings, providing projects and programmes. Any promise now will just be for the cameras and just to take off pressure. Better still it would be a grand deception and also to create a challenge for the next government.
As to why the President still thinks he can accomplish anything meaningful in this “lame duck” period beats my understanding. He should be honest with the people and tell them the honest truth that there is not much he could do going forward. If the President has not yet rolled out major capital projects and commissioning same now, for almost six years, then we should lower our expectation or have none at all.
In 2015 through to 2016, former President Mahama started inspecting and commissioning massive capital expenditure projects across the country and was nicknamed by the then opposition NPP as Commissioner General, I believe we remember this. It was also the period he introduced policies that led to the high economic growth in 2017 and the cedi stabilization achieved.
Tbc…
Seidu Kpebu
Twitter: @kpebu