COVID 19 is another reason for adopting the Blended Representation Principle (BRP) of Governance in Ghana

1.          The COVID 19 pandemic has exposed the frailty of the administrative state in Ghana. This situation has reaffirmed the “hanging” character of the governing structures whereby “head” and “body” are not in sync for education, sensitization and ensuring compliance to abate the ravages of the disease. It is to forestall such situations that the A&A Network and partners have persistently advocated the adoption and implementation of the BRP in Ghana. Simply put, the BRP ensures the mandate to govern is shared among partisan-based elected officials at the national level, and the traditional authorities at the local level. In other words, local government is administered under the leadership of traditional authorities, and national government under the leadership of partisan-based elected officials

2.           To stem the spread of COVID 19 requires extensive public education, sensitization and ensuring compliance with the protocols of lockdown, social distancing, contact tracing, isolation, treatment and adherence to hand-washing and related hygiene regimen. Ideally, communities have to be penetrated with the right information and understanding that allows compliance with the requisite protocols. Communities have to be sensitized that non-compliance exposes individual and society to very high risks. And national executive reach is limited and can mainly be extended through a robust local government.  Ensuing incidents in some parts of the lockdown areas of the country have tested the penetration capacity of both the national and local leadership and revealed concerns for citizens-leaders power and authority relations.

3.           The residents of Chorkor flocking to the beach, and the Ga traditional authorities embarking on purifying rites while openly flouting lockdown directives speak volume of the mindset and the psycho-social relations of the citizens and leaders. Furthermore, the images of able-bodied and vulnerable young men dashing across the street for free food at circle without regard to any social distancing protocols mainly caused heads to spiral in disbelief about the lurking timebomb uncovered by the pandemic. The broader approach of distributing food to the vulnerable only muddies waters and renders questionable the essence of local governance.

4.           Nowhere in the annals of the country has society been faced with the stark realities of the proportion of the population without toilet facilities, portable water and related essentials necessary for lockdown compliance.  Citizens have been consigned to hailing token offers and crumbs from the leaders. However, all the “Veronica buckets” out there represent a scar on the consciousness of the elites, and visible reminder of past policy failures.

5.           COVID 19 will be overcome and society will ease back to normality. Ghana is urged to consider the BRP for better aligned leadership structures to the needs of the people and handle the ramifications more effectively.

April 14, 2020