By Adu Koranteng
The Executive Director of Kandifo Institute, Pelgrave Boakye -Danquah has indicated that his organization is committed to providing avenue and mentors for grooming prospective young people in the ideals and values of existing tradition in Ghana.
He made this known at the inauguration of the Institute in Accra last week. The event was attended by high level dignitaries which included the Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, The President of Association of Ghana Industries, AGI Nana Dr. Appiagyei Dankawoso, Mr Patrick Nyarko, a corporate banker Dr Kojo Esseim Mensah-Abrampah among others.
Kandifo Institute aims at undertaking critical research in the areas of governance, leadership and economic policy to initiate pertinent development discourse, to communicate the ideals of freedom in prosperity predicated on factual analysis and sound intellectual debate. it also seeks to mobilize resources to undertake specific promotional activities for areas of governance , leadership and economic policy.
Addressing the Gathering, Mr Boakye -Danquah said KANDIFO INSTITUTE as the name indicates is a trailblazer and pacesetter in the area of leadership predicated on the development of the Youth through a strong comprehension of issues related to Governance and Economy.” Putting the Youth at the centre of the pursuit of the institute creates a space for them in the development discourse and engagement and imbues in them the needed skill, knowledge and ability to take control of the future. KANDIFO has therefore created this important niche to distinguish itself from the other Think-Tanks by influencing the behavior, attitude, interest areas and development choices of the youth.”
The management of States, since its inception relies on Leadership, Governance and Economy. Leadership in this context is the human acumen expressed in skill, knowledge and ability to provide direction and mobilize resources for attaining the desired development agenda. Governance involves the systems, structures, and processes for establishing the relationship between the ruled and the ruling. Economic policy is the interlace providing the visible dividends of leadership and governance expressed in service delivery and level of prosperity. The effective working of these three pillars is thus necessary for ensuring that the compact between the ruled and the ruling is sustained. KANDIFO believes that a clear appreciation of today’s youth and immersion into issues of leadership, Governance and Economy provides a fundamental basis for taking control of the future.
“In many African countries including Ghana, so much effort has been made to institute viable democracies with the basic characteristics of rule of law, separation of powers, established electoral systems and vibrant press. There is no doubt that much success has been chalked particularly in Ghana with visible development of reducing poverty from levels”
“However, many countries in Africa could have done more and achieved more if the freedom enjoyed receives the emphasis of being expressed through the economic lives of the people; Jobs, improved services, appreciating incomes and expansion of choices particularly for the youth”.
“Within the favorable governance environment, there is the need for leadership, providing the right vision and direction counting on the right combination of human skill, technology and natural resources to create a viable economy. The attainment of the development vision depends on the effective appreciation, understanding and practical combination of the elements of governance, leadership and economy. The behavior and attitudes of the people, particularly the youth is an indication of the future’s development trend and trajectory”.
“Ghana’s particular challenge is that we still have nearly 40 percent of the population who only feed on peripheral news from radio, TV and to a minimal extent on newspapers as their main source of information on governance and the economy. The implication of this is that producers of the information must not only be savvy on the subject matter but must also be adept in the craft of targeting, disseminating and influencing. The onus therefore lies on Think-tanks, such as KANDIFO to undertake and facilitate a deeper analysis not only on the subject but also on the ability to influence the vision and direction of the country, particularly its younger generation.”
CORE ISSUES
Ghana does not lack technical acumen in Governance, and Economic policy analysis, issues of governance, leadership and economic policy analysis have been taken very lightly and pushed to the gallery of news and political campaigns instead of cogent and substantive technical delivery to satisfy the varied targeted audience including the youth.
The superficial information that is shared related to governance and economy is swayed to non-objective partisan tainted discussions, polluting the decency of politics and governance and in some cases misinformation. My interaction with the youth in many of our tertiary institutions indicates their obvious perplexity in the way governance is presented to them; as a game of contentious acrimony rather than an environment of perfect decorum for harmonized decision-making for state development.
There is the need to initiate a new process to influence the expectation of citizenry in the areas of governance, leadership and economic policy, set an agenda for the establishment of new values, which reflect freedom, prosperity, introduce a new culture of relationship between the ruled and the ruling based on accountability, and device a new means of accomplishment for the youth. This can only be achieved when there is a purposive action sustained by adequate skills, knowledge and ability in the areas of leadership, governance and economic policy to direct the
