Prince Kofi Amoabeng, former CEO of the defunct UT Bank, has raised concerns about the growing influence of political parties on public leadership, arguing that it compromises the independence and effectiveness of leaders.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony for the inaugural PK Amoabeng Ambassadors, he criticized the financial and resource support provided by political parties to aspiring candidates, highlighting how these contributions often lead to a sense of indebtedness.
Amoabeng warned that this dependency can adversely affect decision-making and governance, as political leaders may feel compelled to prioritize party agendas over national interests, thereby undermining effective leadership.
“The problem is normally not the leader per se. Some leaders can be crooks and tyrants, or whatever. But some leaders are good leaders. They are humble, they care about the people, but when it comes to power, they are not allowed, and they are not given the freedom to do what their mind tells them to do.
“For example, in politics, before you become a leader, your political party has actually put in a lot of effort, raising money, incurring debt, and everything to support you to become the leader.
“You cannot overrule what the party says, because they need to repay those money, and they need to even build up funds for the next election. So the leader is not his own. It is those who pull the strings along.”
