Member of Parliament for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has questioned the intention with which people enter into political office in Ghana.

The MP wondered whether political office holders were focused on using political power to engage in “evidence-based policymaking” to ensure the nation’s transformation or occupied political positions for the sake of power.

In a Facebook post on Monday, 1 June 2020 Mr Ablakwa noted that: “The 2020 Population and Housing Census which should have been conducted this year by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) consistent with a ten-year tradition has been postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19 and after the GSS struggled initially to raise funds from Government.”

He continued that: “Not many of our leaders appear bothered by this development. The focus is all on how the NIA and the EC can put together a preferred voters register even though a credible register exists.”

According to the North Tongu MP, while “other jurisdictions where they are uncompromising about development put data for planning and development ahead of mere political power, here, it is all about political power even when there’s a lack of an updated reliable data to guide the policymakers who secure power. No wonder after throwing away Vision 2020, we remain without a long term national strategic vision.”

Mr Ablakwa added: “The fundamental question is: are we engaged in a scramble for political power for power sake or we are serious about using political power to engage in evidence-based policymaking to transform our nation?”