Great people create great systems and great systems work to create a great society. These have been the landmarks that created history in every developed society that has ever existed.

I recently watched a documentary by Piers Morgan on the real estate business boom in Dubai led by their monarch Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Such an impressive execution of a vision,keeping in mind that their oil resources will run out in the next ten years or so.  A vision that Dubai should be the number one destination in the world by 2050. A very impressive execution so far indeed.

My mind brings me to my dear mother land Ghana and recent happenings in this country, from CHRAJ chop chop to dumso dumso reloaded and how the politicians are having political fun games with such serious national issues. Sometimes you wonder if politicians know that they have the power to change things or that they even want to change anything other than line up their own pockets and that of their family members.

But I want to talk about the recent resignation from office of Tony Oteng Gyasi , a well-respected energetic entrepreneur in this country who has achieved a lot and is willing to serve Ghana when called upon. We all rejoiced when he was appointed board chair of ECG, one of our greatest corporate assets in this country.

I have great respect and admiration for Tony from afar but I was quite disappointed with the reason that was given for his resignation knowing very well that this cannot be so, for such a young and energetic man.  It was more expedient for him to be politically correct than to say the naked truth which could broaden the discussion and even help bring about the changes he sought to pursue at the Electricity Company of Ghana.

When this president was elected into office I was one of those young men who was elated and could vouch for him especially because of his background in history and social psychology.  My expectation was that this rich education in humanism will make him a great and sensitive leader with a bigger horizon to look beyond what the average African politician could muster. But oooo boy am I wrong? I was also really happy as a young man because it gave me a lot of hope that if he could execute as well as he could communicate then Ghana could turn the corner away from the dull disengaging politics of the past older generation. Hmmmm so far I can only say that the talk is sweet but the deeds are soar.

Coming to think of it, how can you operate an existing system the way you inherited it and expect to see better results and even dare to expect new outcomes? President!, it ain’t gonna happen.

Great societies are built by great systems. Great systems are built by great leaders, not just political but social, religious, corporate, family leaders. Our major problem as Africans is that we do not appreciate and understand the inherent power of systems and so we are not able to harness the benefits that it brings. We do not deliberately shape systems to give us the needed results and so those sycophants who can flaunt their extrovert characteristics are able to work their way to the top and fleece this country for their own personal gain.

When Tony Oteng-Gyasi was appointed as board chairman, he was assured by my president that he will get all the support needed to execute his work. Tony was very enthusiastic about his new appointment just as he was with that at the University of Ghana. He visited all past MDs of ECG and board chairmen to get a good picture of what needed to be done. He took his work very seriously. Tony is a very healthy and hardworking young man who is able to get on with his work, so please don’t let anyone deceive you with so called “health reasons”.

The real reason why Tony had to resign was because he couldn’t survive in a state owned institution like ECG. Not because he didn’t have the skills and the know-how but that his kind, those hard working entrepreneurial class who have what it takes to shape great systems are simply not welcome in viable state owned institutions like ECG. Our politicians do not really want change and so will not necessarily support change agents like Tony. He didn’t know what he was getting into, my president sweet talked him into it.

Tony’s resignation only confirms that GHANA does not have any corporate governance structure from top down and so all these state institutions are only vessels for politicians to fleece this country. The president appoints the board and the president appoints the managing director. The man with the bigger lobbying skills, not necessarily the biggest abilities wins the day. The MD is not accountable to the board because the board did not put him there. The oversight minister cannot hold either the board or the MD to account because each of these pieces in the jigsaw reports to the presidency and is only accountable to the presidency in REALITY. Any other thing they tell you is only on paper and is one of the many socially accepted ‘white lies’ to keep the system in harmony.

Well, your guess is as good as mine. Honorable Tony Oteng-Gyasi could not operate in a system like this. Where the MD will ignore instructions from the board and proceed with activities that is sinking the company. Where the presidency will not take advice from both the board and the oversight ministry because apparently the presidency is more on the ground than these organs of governance.

When the full story is told someday, which I doubt it will, because we don’t write memoirs, it will be said that the board led by Tony sent many proposals for change to president Mahama who ignored all proposals from both the board and the Ministry of Energy. Not because the president had personal interest but the power blocs which have interest in the current MD will not allow it. It will be said that the Oteng-Gyasi led board dared to replace the MD on two occasions but was overruled. “Hey, you didn’t put him there so how can you remove him”. “Are you nuts? You are just a pawn to satisfy the World Bank energy sector report”.

So here I am typing away on my laptop with twenty minutes left for my battery to die because of load shedding reloaded. I am an ordinary citizen who is working hard like any of you to make a difference but my older brothers have put a glass ceiling on top of me.

In conclusion, who does this situation benefit? Is it the politician? Maybe, just a little. Obviously not You and I.The president?  Naaaa, just a little in the form of campaign donations.

The beneficiaries are the white collar thieves that line up the corridors of power in our state companies, who are NEVER held accountable for their actions. They fleece this country, they pocket far more than their collaborating politicians, they run down our companies and we just stand by and look. There is no governance system so they can go scot free and enjoy their booty.

A good corporate governance structure that is systematically shaped to deliver productivity is what can make us productive in this country. Mr. President, in the absence of such, all your loans and efforts will be in vain. That is if you actually even mean well.  All government investments in ECG, SADA, Ghana Gas etc will just sip down the drain if corporate governance doesn’t work.

Let’s work and chop, let’s bake a bigger pie and take our bigger piece. Let’s not chop and spoil the work.

This must start from you. This is your move Mr. President. Have a nice day