Good governance agenda remains critical in Africa - Prof. Richards
An expert in development and governance in Africa, Prof. Joseph Richards, has argued that in spite of gaps in development and governance, the good governance agenda remains critical in African countries.
Speaking at a round-table discussion on 'Development without democracy: Confronting the Revisionist Paradigm,' Prof. Richards put up a fierce defence against proponents of the idea that the good governance agenda in Africa is not needed for development.
These arguments, termed revisionists, are based on the fact that some countries which are not adhering to good governance principles have developed and transformed their societies for their people.
The arguments have also arisen out of studies conducted by top economists on Africa's development at a period when most countries are experiencing impressive economic growth, and continued deficits and gaps in development in spite of the growth.
The economic growth, without the commensurate transformation in the economic and social structures of the countries concerned, has resulted in the arguments being advanced by the revisionists.
Africa's growth
According to Prof. Richards, there was some convergence among top economists and social liberals that there had been economic growth.
The growth, he said, had been characterised by the 'sub-optimisation' of institutions and processes; deficiencies in the production of goods and services; and a discordant development, with great affluence for a number of people and with a greater part of the populations left out.
Africans committed
However, the John Evans Professor of International History and Politics at the Northwestern University, Prof, Richards, was of the view that the arguments by the revisionists did not support current trends.
He said afrobarometer surveys showed that most Africans were still committed to the good governance agenda, in spite of development challenges.
Thus, there was a consensus that the good governance agenda, which included the rule of law, constitutionalism and human rights, was still relevant.
What was lacking was how good governance could ensure a rapture that would bring about the transformation needed in economies and societies.
Propositions
Prof. Joseph proposed that democratic governance could be productive.
He said several years of democratic developmental governance could be harnessed for productive economies.
Thus, democratic governance could be made productive by Africans getting a handle on all the insights gained in to it to improve processes and institutions.
He also proposed that Afrobarometer surveys on perception by citizens would be useful indicators in the attainment of productive states.
He was upbeat that with the keen insights and arguments about Africa's development, Ghana would be a model of the democratic governance that resulted in productive economies and transformed societies.
Strong institutions
A Director of the CDD (organiser of the forum) Dr Baffour Agyemang-Dua, in his introductory remarks, reminded all about the advice of the US President, Barrack Obama; for Ghana to build strong institutions.
Most participants at the forum, who included the former Commissioner of the Commission on Human rights and Administrative Justice, Justice Emile Short; the immediate past Rector of Montcrest University College, Prof. Atsu Aryee; a consultant, Mr Casely Hayford, were in agreement that bad leadership had led to the developmental gaps.
Mr Casely Hayford in particular was vehement in his denunciation of bad leaders that had led to weak democratic institutions.
He said currently, CHRAJ was ineffective with its head, and called for the resignation of the Metropolitan Chief Executive for the collapse of the story building in Nii Boye Town on Thursday.
