“If John Mahama is saying there is a lack of patriotism among the citizenry, I agree with him but he himself may have contributed to the problem. How did he demonstrate to the ordinary people that he is willing to die for Ghana? I’m not sure….” says Prof. Ransford Gyampo, a political science lecturer at the University of Ghana.
Prof. Gyampo was reacting to former President John Mahama comment on the lack of patriotism among Ghanaians.
He said in as much as he agrees with the former President, he as a former leader of the country also contributed to the current situation.
Former President John Mahama at a lecture to open the National Democratic Congress’ Institute of Social Democracy at the party’s headquarters in Accra on Friday indicated that there is a lack of patriotism among Ghanaians. He said Ghanaians now think of themselves and their families more than the country.
“…Nationalism and patriotism have become very deficient in Ghana today. Absolutely nobody thinks about the country first; we all think about ourselves first, our families second, our parties third, maybe, our communities fourth and Ghana comes a distant fifth or sixth or even tenth’’ he said.
Speaking in an interview on Citi FM’s eyewitness news, Friday, Prof. Gyampo said for patriotism to come back into the country, leaders need to live exemplary lives however “so far the leaders we have had in the country after Dr Kwame Nkrumah have not demonstrated that they themselves are patriotic”.
“If you have a country where there is serious deficit in terms of civic education; where political leaders have not demonstrated essential leadership; where they have not demonstrated that they are prepared to die a little for Ghana. If you live in a country where leaders are always milking the nation dry and they are always thinking about taking their own pound of flesh and not wanting to die a little for the nation then the citizenry do not also become patriotic because they learn from the leaders… The political leaders themselves know what they have to do…the political leaders we have seen in Ghana demonstrate to us that they are selfish, self-seeking, self-perpetuating and self-aggrandising…if you have leaders who have these features, it becomes difficult to instil patriotism” he said.
Apart from living exemplary lives, leaders also need to fund the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) for them to do more of civic education because as it stands now, they are under-resourced, he said.
“…patriotism is infused through civic education, political socialisation and essentially exemplary leadership".
Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com
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Serious topic at issue here. Ghana is simply bereft of patriots simply by virtue of the fact of bad leadership. It is as simple as that. Some of us wonder why on earth did somebody like John Mahama become the leader of our country. First Mahama's intelligence is way below the level required of a President of a country. How could he talk about lack of patriotism? The Prof. said it all. Just consider the issue of corruption leveled against his administration. The case of Woyome and numerous others they are continually denying. How could you as a leader in government together with your cronies ***barred word*** the nation that dry while the broad masses of our people languish in abject poverty and expect these same deprived citizens sacrifice themselves in whatever way needed on the banner of patriotism. It is a complete shame to hear a leader talk like he did. Look at how they managed the school feeding, NHIS, and a lot more social intervention programes. Look at how he run down the Gyeeda program, look at how he channeled many dubious contracts through his brother. Is he patriotic? When we talk of leadership by example does Mahama understand it? It amazes me a lot anytime Mahama does something that suggests hat he is eyeing to come to power again. Even for the very fact that he could harbor such dream tells me that Ghanians don't know what we really need. A real problem for the motherland!!!
I WONDER WHAT'S IN YOU ***barred word*** MAHAMA AND NDC ***barred word*** HEADS FOR INSULTING OR CONDEMNING WHAT THIS PROFESSOR HAS CATEGORICALLY REVEALED THAT TRANSPIRED IN OUR GHANA FOR THE PAST 8 YEARS UNDER THE MOST CORRUPT PRESIDENT EVER. MAHAMA MUST THANK GOD FOR NANA ADDO & NPP AS A BELIEVER OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY FOR NOT JAILING OR SEIZING MOST OF HIS ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH AND THAT OF HIS ***barred word*** BROTHER IBRAHIM, OPUNI, AKUA DONKOR, NUMEROUS GIRL FRIENDS,ETC LOTS OF YOU ON THIS FORUM WHO ARE CONSTANTLY DEFENDING THIS ***barred word*** MAHAMA ARE DOING SO SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU ALL BENEFITTED FROM THE MASS ***barred word*** THAT OCCURRED. SHAME UNTO YOU ALL WHO CAN'T STOMACH THESE HARD FACTS. IF YOU ALL HAVE SENSE, PLEASE LEARN FROM YOUR OWN CLASSIC/TRUE PATRIOT LIKE MARTIN AMIDU AND NOT NATION WRECKERS LIKE MAHAMA,RAWLINGS, ASIEDU NKETIA, OKUDZETO ABLAKWA,***barred word*** KOKU,OMANE BOAMAH,ETC
Ex-President Mahama has made a very sensitive point which is true. Prof Gyampo's rebut of the call is also true. Few Ghanaians are willing to die for Ghana which is factual. I think with our nascent democracy, we should begin to inculcate country first in the citizenry. I am not privy whether civics is taught in our schools. It should start from personnel in black uniform under the Ministry of interior, & those under the Ministry of local government and rural development.
IF JOHN MAHAMA WAS PATRIOTIC, HE WOULDN'T HAVE LOOTED/EMPTIED OUR TREASURY AND INVESTED IT IN DUBAI,SOUTH AFRICA AND USE HIS BROTHER & AKUA DONKOR TO SECRETLY LAUNDER PART OF HIS LOOT.....
I have asked this question and i will asked one again was he John Mahamah patriotic when he was the president, Was he not thinking about his self first after taking the ford and his family second my giving contracts to His brother and also 58% of Nyinahin bouxite. so what is he talking about. If he thinks he will become president once again then not this country maybe Bole.
I'm strongly inclined to believe that NDC as a party bodies forth lack of competent political party personnel in terms of Leadership and intergrity.The mere attempt to reinstate Mahama as a Flagbearer is clear acceptance of deficit in political and intellectual competence in body Party, NDC. Mind you, the whole Professor of Politics has come out furiously to lament the audacity of the former President to express his view of lack of patriotism among the Ghanaian citizenry. Furthermore, just keep your own counsel to realize and appreciate that, Harunna, whom before i held as competent and good a materia for the NDC, is messing up as Minority Leader-loosing credibility. You can look at it from any angle and i bet, you will agree with me that NDC as a political Party lacks credibility, integrity and is overtly mischievous.And Prof. Gyampo is an honorable Professor of Politic. Though, I disagree with him for tututing Nkrumah as a sole petriotic Leader.
Prof, what did Nkrumah do as a patriotic citizen that other leaders have not done? You can never, I repeat never convince the majority of Ghanaians that Nkrumah was patriotic! What he did on the Ghanaian political scene was a show of wittiness. He hid his socialist inclination from his colleagues and betrayed the trust they put in him and you call this patriotism? As a professor of political science you must learn to be objective and pragmatic. Do you mean he was a saint? How can he be patriotic and fail to inculcate that virtue into even one of his many followers? What work did he ever do before becoming a leader in Ghana? What was his field of specialty in life? The rot in NDC and the lack of direction in the CPP are indications of the true character of their ideological leader in Ghana who is no one but Nkrumah. His followers never want to face the reality on the ground. They never want to sweat for a living but rather rely on politics. When they get the opportunity to rule they think of ruling for life with UNIGOV, hand over to who, etc. Of all the military adventurisms that have bedeviled the nation only the NLC was not of his lineage. Mention them; NRC, SMC, AFRC, PNDC and what have you? Ghana's main problem stems from the fact that he Nkrumah, the first Prime Minister and 1st President misled the nation and used our resources to fund his personal political ambition and you call this PATRIOTISM? Ghana will forever be indebted to the valiant men who risked their lives to end the reign of that tyrant you call patriotic. People like Harlley, Deklu, Kotoka, Afrifa, Ankra, Ocran, etc will forever be remembered for their contribution to the democratic dispensation in Ghana. Prof, kindly reconsider you political assessment of Ghana and be objective.
I thought Prof. Gyampo is a University lecturer lecturing politicians? If politicians are not patriotic, then what has he been lecturing them? If you teach 10 people and 7 of them failed an exams then you the teacher have questions to answer. May be you are not a good teacher. This is pure politics coming from a serial caller of a political party. As a professional, I expected him to look at the massage and not the messenger.
What about the NDC 's mantra " Party first "
You have said it all prof. He can never preach patriotism to us because he had an opportunity to be one but he failed. You decided to buy your official residents and also sold 58% of Nyinahin bouxite to your brother and you want us to be patriotic?