Professor Ransford Gyampo of the University of Ghana (UG) has sharply criticized calls for gender and ethnic balance in President John Mahama’s recent ministerial appointments. He argued that, for a developing country like Ghana, the focus should be on competence rather than simply ensuring equal representation across gender, ethnicity, or regions.

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Speaking on Joy FM's Super Morning Show on Wednesday, January 22, Prof Gyampo emphasized that governance in a developing country is far too serious to be dictated by factors such as gender, ethnicity, or regionalism. “Governance in a developing country is too serious a matter to be determined by mere considerations of gender, ethnicity, and regionalism,” he remarked.

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He also critiqued the regional balance provisions in the constitution, which call for equal representation from various parts of the country in government appointments. While acknowledging this requirement, Gyampo pointed out that it isn’t absolute. "While the constitution calls for regional balance, I believe it is not infallible.

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Even the Bible faces challenges regarding its interpretation, and similarly, the constitution has provisions that can hinder our development, which is why it is reviewed," he explained.Professor Gyampo expressed strong opposition to the idea of appointing individuals based solely on regional or gender considerations. “The idea of appointing individuals from all regions without prioritising competency is problematic.

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Focusing on gender, regionalism, and ethnicity, without considering competency, will continue to hinder our efforts to govern effectively and bring about development,” he warned.On Tuesday, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin had criticized President Mahama for not ensuring fair regional representation in his ministerial appointments, calling for more Ewes and Ga Dangbe individuals to be included.

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However, the Majority cautioned against making such tribal statements, with the Second Deputy Speaker stressing that discussions of tribalism must be handled carefully.Meanwhile, protests erupted in Bole-Bamboi, with some youth setting fire to car tyres near the residence of the late father of President Mahama. The unrest is believed to have been sparked by the exclusion of Sulemana from the recent ministerial nominations.

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