Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Centre for European Studies of the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo, has accused Ghana’s two largest political parties of making the teaching of political science in the country very difficult.
According to him, the two parties, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) appeared to be staffed with people who have thrown principles to the dogs.
Lecturers, he said, are therefore compelled to take pains and explain to students during Introduction to Political Science lessons that politics is not necessarily a game of deceit or a game of lies.
Prof. Gyampo raised these concerns on TV3’s analytical talk show, the Key Points on Saturday when the panel was discussing the ‘do or die’ comment by former President John Dramani Mahama.
He described as incredible the fact that those who in the past defended President Nana Akufo-Addo’s ‘All die be die’ comment are today gleefully condemning Mr. John Mahama’s ‘do or die comment while those who condemned ‘all die be die’ are defending ‘do or die.
He condemned attempts by the former President and his followers to explain the meaning of the do-or-die comment and stressed it is improper to put out an expression in the public for others to explain.
Mr. Gyampo argued that since many Ghanaians are inhibited when it comes to the English language, even among those who speak, it is just proper to communicate with words that are not subject to other interpretations.
He said, “You don’t put out expressions for others to go and explain if you’re a good communicator. One of the principles of leadership is that a leader must be able to communicate effectively.”
“And that means ability to say what you mean and mean what you say in a manner devoid of ambiguities and interpretations.”
“If you have to communicate and come back to explain what you meant it means you didn’t communicate effectively,” he added.
President Mahama, he said, should have used other expressions to make the same point without generating controversy and attracting condemnation.
According to the Professor, what hurts him the most is the stance that has been taking by the NDC and the NPP.
“Those who condemned ‘All ‘All die be die’ are defending ‘do or die’ and those who defended ‘All die be die’ are speaking against ‘do or die.’ What do politicians in Ghana think of us? Do they think our heads are not properly screwed on and we can’t think,” he quizzed
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