Ghana: A Time to Heal & Renew the Nation

Author: Kwame Insaidoo Price: $ 15.39 (new) $ 20.04 (used) Medium: Paperback (320 pages) Publisher: AuthorHouse 2007-08-08

Editorial Description

In this thought provoking book the author takes a critical retrospective glance at the political development of Ghana from its colonial past to the attainment of her sovereignty, and highlights the insidious fundamental flaws in the governance of the new nation.He unequivocally asserts that the creation of a dysfunctional totalitarian governmental system, where a cadre of unseasoned politicians systematically arrogated all power to themselves, and zealously prosecuted their political adversaries into oblivion, constituted the most fatal fundamental flaw in the governance of the nation. He points out that the military's delusional belief in their self-appointed messianic role of liberating and redeeming Ghana from the odious dictatorship imposed on the people opened up the nation to the Pandora's box of bureaucratic ineptitude, gross power abuses, poorly conceived, and haphazardly implemented programs which precipitated political instability, stagnation, and decay of the institutions of state leading to the exodus of Ghanaians abroad. The dominant theme that permeates throughout the book revolves around the prevalence of the underlying institutional malaise inherited from colonial political structures which concentrate too much raw political powers in the hands of the presidency. This accumulation of near absolute power elevates our presidents to the status of benevolent dictators, and so their policies go virtually unchallenged. This lack of checks and balances in our political system enabled the colonialists to totally exploit our people, and when our Ghanaian leaders governed our new nation in this same odious system they got the opportunity, like the colonial masters, to exploit and arrogate power to themselves, while utilizing the legal system as a weapon to harass their political opponents and silenced them. The author argues that this incompatibility of the colonial system with the political development of modern Ghana is the root cause of our political polari

Reader Reviews

To be rather than seeming to be!!
Every politician seeking political office in Ghana and Africa as a whole should be required to read this book before entering the political arena. The author of this book does not mince words, he is blunt and honest about the state of affairs in Ghana and the African continent. The author talks about the real cancer within Ghana politics and public service without sugar coating anything. The author does not only lash out at the stakeholders in Ghana and Africa as a whole, he offers practical solutions that will help alleviate poverty and encourage a result oriented society, where politicians and public servants will be answerable and accountable to the masses.

Every high school student in Ghana and Africa should have a copy of this book, because as future leaders they should not be deprived of the truth, that is if they want to see their country transform and develop.

Oprah Winfrey, Bono, Bill Gates,Alicia Keyes,Barrack Obama, the U.S. government, European governments and all kind hearted people around the world can throw money at Ghana and Africa but if the people don't find it within themselves to change their attitudes, it would be a waste of time, resources and effort. I have said on many occassions that " sending mosquito nets to fight malaria is a noble cause, but if the remote problem and cause of malaria,the exposed garbage dumps and stagnant ponds which serve as mosquito breeding grounds are not tackled"

I am on a crusade to get all Africans and persons who advocate for African development to read this book.

Nene Kodjoe