‘Blame game syndrome’ can cause Ghana the SDGs – Prof. Antwi
Ghana and other African countries can miss out on their commitment and efforts towards successful implementation and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) if they continue to wallow in the “blame game syndrome”.
Professor Kwabena Barima Antwi, an Associate professor with the Department of Geography and Regional Planning at the University of Cape Coast has cautioned.
The blame games, he noted, had been inimical to the socio-economic growth and development of Africa and could prevent Ghana from achieving the SDGs by the year 2030.
Prof Antwi gave the caution Thursday during the opening of the fifth quadrennial and 52nd Central Regional delegates’ conference of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) in Cape Coast.
The conference was on the theme: “Transforming Societies through Education: Stakeholders’ Preparedness towards Agenda 2030”.
He described individual apathy towards a national course as destructive and one that had the tendency to kill initiatives in the society.
“Whenever there is something to do collectively as a nation, some people do not get involved. Instead of supporting the leadership to make things work, we neglect our duties and accuse each other. This is a big problem in Africa,” Prof Antwi stated.
The United Nations member states adopted a set of 17 goals in September 2015, with the aim to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda.
Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over 15 years (September 2015 to 2030).
Prof Antwi therefore appealed to teachers, civil society, the private sector, Government and other major stakeholders in the implementation of the SDGs to eschew blame games and concentrate on issues aimed at achieving the SDGs.
He said the implementation and achievement of the 2030 agenda called for strong collaboration and more inclusive processes and commitment among stakeholders.
Prof Antwi noted that teachers remained crucial in the achievement of the SDGs and stressed the need to equip and add value to the teacher to enable them to take centre stage in the country’s pursuit of the “Agenda 2030”.
He said transforming societies within the framework of the SDGs could not be accelerated unless Governments prioritised the provision and delivery of quality education in their development agenda.
Madam Phillipa Larsen, the Acting National President of GNAT, called on teachers to be committed to their work and avoid negative practices such as absenteeism and laziness which hampered quality education delivery.
She admonished teachers to think outside the box and take advantage of available opportunities to develop and sharpen their technological and methodological skills to enable them to take lead roles in transforming societies.
Mr David Ofori Acheampong, the National Secretary of GNAT, encouraged teachers to be abreast with all the 17 SDGs as well as their required roles towards achieving them.
He said Government needed to provide adequate resources in terms of teaching and learning materials, infrastructure and teacher incentives to help raise the standards of education.
He assured teachers whose salaries were in arrears to remain calm as the association continued to engage the Government to get their monies paid.
Source: GNA