Irony of “Breaking the 8” in Ghana’s Prebendal Political State: A Foreseen Reality

Our beloved country, Ghana, finds itself on the brink of insolvency, rendering the once ubiquitous phrase “breaking the 8” increasingly stale. Even the president, often dubbed “the mother Serpent of corruption,” deviated from his usual rhetorics in a recent address to the nation on October 30, 2022. In a departure from his customary assurance of “breaking the 8,” he candidly acknowledged the dire economic state of the nation. He conceded that Ghana’s economy is in turmoil, with disrupted budgets, precarious balance of payments, and mounting debt, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

It’s worth noting that the repetitive mantra of “breaking the 8,” synonymous with the Nana Addo-Bawumiah-led New Patriotic Party government, was perceived as illusory by some from the outset. The prevailing sentiment foresaw the impending realities of the times.

Amidst the shattered hopes of breaking the eight-year electoral cycle, there is an elusive attempt to attribute our current economic woes solely to Post-Covid-19 setbacks and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, the pressing question remains: How did Ghana arrive at this juncture, or were we already on the path to self-destruction before the global crises hastened our descent?

Let me say without any fear of equivocation that Ghana didn’t get here by chance. Our country was already vulnerable before the twin global evils struck us unaware.

In fact, before the Covid-19 pandemic invaded us, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank through its Country Director, Frank Laporte, had already forewarned us about increasing our debt stock through fresh borrowing since our country was at a high risk of debt distress, but the government hardened its ears to any wise counsel and kept borrowing, while engaging itself in reckless expenditure to the startle rescue of today’s IMF. Ghana’s public debt suddenly rose from Ghc122 billion (56.9%) of GDP in 2016 to Ghc218.0 billion (63%) of GDP on the eve of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019. The World Bank in its October 2022 Africa Pulse Report classified Ghana as a high debt distress country and projects the nation’s debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 104.6% by the end of 2022. Our budget deficit of 16% in 2020 was the second highest in Sub-Saharan Africa, far above the regional average of 6% from the data sourced.

Ghana’s trajectory towards a prebendal political state, characterized by the appropriation of state resources for personal gain, was evident long before the Covid-19 or Russia-Ukraine crises. “prebendalism” according to Richard Joseph is used to describe the appropriation of state offices — notably elected officials and government workers – and the diversion of their resources to serve themselves, their cronies and their ethnic and other identity groups.

Richard Joseph, thought to be the first person to use the term is the author of “Democracy and Prebendal Politics” — a book first published in 1987 and reissued by Cambridge University Press. The book chronicles the disorder, group conflicts and economic failings that resulted. The proliferation of ministerial appointments, exemplified by the bloated government under President Akufo-Addo, illustrates this phenomenon. Despite calls for prudence, the government persisted in its extravagance, prioritizing political patronage over fiscal responsibility.

In March 15, 2017, the president names 110 ministers, consisting of four deputy ministers and four new ministers of state.

At this point far beyond Covid-19, he had already set an ‘enviable record as the first head of state under the fourth Republic to have more than hundred ministers serve in his government. He had beaten his predecessor, John Dramani Mahama comfortably by 26 minister as the latter had a total of 84 ministers-deputies included.

Akuffo-Addo currently has about 125 elephant sized ministers.

President John Evans Attah Mills named 75 ministers after inheriting a legacy of 87 ministers in sum from John Agyekum Kuffour.

Arrogance further compounded the situation, as evidenced by the president’s adamant defense of his oversized government and resistance to downsizing. Even when calls for ministerial reshuffles intensified due to under-performance, the president remained obstinate, dismissing such demands as politically motivated. The president took to the media to mount a spirited defence at a media encounter at the Jubilee House on Friday, December 13,2019, by insisting that the government would have had it very difficult to achieve what it has done so far with a smaller number of ministers.

“The machinery of government in our country is such that if the political direction at the top is not strong, the delivery becomes an issue,” he said in fiece defense yet again of the size of his government.

“I still stand by the fact that the numbers were necessary for the work which we have done”, he responded.

In an interview on North Star radio in Tamale on Monday, August 8, 2022, the President said his appointees were outstanding and meeting his expectations, shooting down the expectations of Ghanaians for any resuffle.

“Many of them for me have done outstanding work. Their output has been considerable, and that is what I look at…

“If the output measures expectations, then I don’t have any strong reasons to heed the call,” the president said with astonishing bravado.

To the disappointment of many citizens, the president assumed that calls for a reshuffle sometimes have ulterior motives.

“The calls come for all kinds of reasons; NDC wanting to destabilize the government is one. There are people who are also looking for jobs.”

It is important to note that,president Akufo-Addo’s only ministerial reshuffle was during his first term, in August 2018, when he made some changes to his ministers and drop some portfolios following intense criticisms that his government was record time oversized.

He recently removed revoked the appointment of Sarah Adwoa Safo, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, who had become visibly absent from work for an extended period.

However, with elections looming, the sudden reshuffle of 23 ministers appears more politically calculated than a genuine attempt at reform. To wit, this tactical maneuver, aimed at bolstering the integrity of his vice president and NPP presidential candidate for the 2024 elections, belies the deeper governance deficiencies plaguing the administration.

As citizens of this beloved nation, our collective sorrow should not only stem from the current regime’s democratic regression but also from the looming threat of systemic collapse. Ghana, once a beacon of democracy in Africa, now risks succumbing to the perils of prebendalism. Urgent reform is imperative to steer the nation back on course towards accountable governance, austerity and sustainable development.

I shall be back to continue with this article with a forward looking introspection into the vision statement of Vice president Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia which appears overly misleading, uninspiring; full of half truths and untruths. The vice president and head of the Economic Management Team in this “rehashed visioneles” statement played the role of Judas Iscariot clearly denying and distancing himself from the sinking record of his master. But will this attempt wash?

The writer, Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham, is a freelance journalist, youth leader, social commentator, and advocate of social democracy over capitalism, prioritizing the welfare of the people above all else.

By Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham

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