Former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, has cautioned young people against going into politics with the primary intention of making money, describing such motives as misguided and inconsistent with the principles of public service.
He stressed that political leadership should be anchored in integrity, good governance and a genuine commitment to serving the public, rather than the pursuit of personal financial gain.
Professor Oquaye appeared to reference the dismissal of former Deputy Minister for Communications, Victoria Hammah, over remarks suggesting she intended to make one million dollars while in office.
He commended the decision to remove her from government, describing the comments as reflective of a troubling mindset that undermines public trust in leadership.
Speaking at the inception workshop of the European Union-funded WYDE Project in Ghana on Tuesday, February 10, Professor Oquaye urged young people with political ambitions to focus on improving the quality of leadership and governance rather than material rewards.
He recounted that the former deputy minister had been heard, only months after her appointment, expressing intentions to amass millions of dollars, a development he said justified her removal from office.
“What is your purpose for entering politics? If it is to make money, then you are in the wrong business, and your peers must all agree that such a person is not fit to be a political leader of our people,” he stated.
Professor Oquaye further explained that effective governance goes beyond simply occupying political office.
According to him, meaningful leadership requires being an informed, participatory and knowledgeable member of Parliament who can contribute effectively to debates, policymaking and national development.
“In other words, the basic issues in politics must be those that we all agree upon, and that is qualitative governance,” he added.
