Professor George K. T. Oduro, Professor of Educational Leadership, University of Cape Coast (UCC) has reiterated calls on Ghanaians to put an end to politics of acrimony, hatred, and discrimination to aid the transformation of the country’s economy.
He observed that contemporary partisan politics was doing more harm than good to the communities and the nation.
“The NDC- NPP hostile relations had in the past, deprived the country the opportunity to benefit from huge investments from both local and foreign investors to the detriment of the teeming unemployed youth.”
Prof Oduro, who was the former Pro Vice Chancellor of UCC, made the call when he addressed a durbar of Chiefs and people of Agona Asafo in the Agona East District of the Central Region to climax their Annual Akwambo festival.
Disintegration and hostility, he noted were frustrating development and the time was ripe for political leaders and those in authority to join forces and fight for the common goal of improving the living standards of the people, Prof Oduro stated.
He said the country’s constitution, guaranteed the right of every individual to belong to a political party to promote multi- party democracy to enhance freedom of speech and decisions making process to improve economic, social, and cultural development.
‘’Belonging to different political parties should therefore be embraced and seen as a social cohesion arrangement towards our common development,’’ Prof Oduro stated.
However, the former Pro- Vice Chancellor lamented that politics was destroying the country and impacting negatively on the lives of the ordinary Ghanaian and it must be stopped.
He urged the two main political parties (NDC -NPP) to eschew all rivalry and work together as one entity to build prosperous nation for the citizenry to enjoy better lives.
Turning on the negative effects of partisan politics on the town, he said the hostile relations had in the past deprived their community of an opportunity for the setting up of a mini factory aimed at processing cocoa pods into commercial products in Agona Asafo.
Prof Oduro said the potential foreign investors packed bags and left and the huge investment that was to create jobs for the youth to make life better for them never materialized.
According to Prof Oduro, a probe into the stalled project indicated that there was politics of intimidation, hatred and pull-him-down attitude that denied the youth of Asafo the opportunity to get jobs.
He said if care were not taken politics would retard the progress and development in the areas of education, economics, health, and socio-cultural advancement of the country.
On the festival, he said it would not only promote cultural exchange and appreciation but also provide opportunities for entertainment and leisure, and further promote diversity and inclusiveness within the community.
Prof Oduro urged people of Agona Asafo to move beyond partisan politics as they worked to build a community centre.
He urged all to allow the community centre project foster healthy social interaction and promote a sense of belonging and unity within the community irrespective of their political party differences to ensure economic stability.
