Editorial: ‘Reset’ Must Reflect In Our National Attitude

The central message of the John Dramani Mahama administration is the resetting of Ghana. Indeed, “Resetting Ghana” became one of the dominant political mantras of the 2024 General Election campaign and has remained a defining theme of the government, since it assumed office.

According to the government, the reset agenda is intended to address the country’s developmental challenges and place Ghana on a new path of progress. In essence, it is presented as an opportunity to correct past mistakes and build a better Ghana.

Since President Mahama took office, the reset agenda has found expression in government pronouncements, policy discussions and parliamentary debates. Indeed, parts of the country are currently witnessing significant construction activities, following the introduction of the Big Push Programme, a flagship government initiative aimed at improving road networks and other critical infrastructure across the country.

While the slogan has gained considerable political currency, The Chronicle believes the time has come for the concept to move beyond political rhetoric and become a national attitude.

We, therefore, call on Jubilee House to make the reset agenda meaningful to ordinary Ghanaians by ensuring that it is reflected in their everyday conduct and in the operations of public institutions.

Since Ghana broke the colonial yoke from British rule, successive governments have introduced various slogans, programmes and national campaigns intended to mobilise citizens and address the country’s challenges. Yet, many of these initiatives have struggled to become deeply rooted in the national psyche or produce lasting changes in behaviour.

The reset agenda must not suffer the same fate. If the government genuinely intends to reset Ghana, then the change must be visible not only in government policies, but also in the way citizens conduct themselves and public institutions discharge their responsibilities.

A reset should mean an end to practices that undermine national development, including indiscriminate disposal of waste, trading on pavements, wanton disregard for road traffic, building on waterways, destruction of public property and other forms of indiscipline.

It must also demand accountability from state institutions. Security personnel who abuse their authority and assault citizens, for instance, must understand that such conduct has no place in a country seeking to reset its governance culture.

Similarly, corruption, theft and wanton destruction of state property, disregard for public regulations and other negative attitudes must be confronted as part of the national reset.

The reset should, therefore, not be confined to political discourse. It must be reflected across every sector of national life, including transport, agriculture, security, trade, commerce, sports, culture and local governance.

We believe the Jubilee House, working through the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs and the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), should embark on a sustained public education campaign to explain the meaning and objectives of the reset agenda to citizens.

Such an initiative must go beyond publicity. It should be accompanied by practical policies, enforcement of existing regulations and measurable changes in the delivery of public services.

We are of the view Citizens must understand what is expected of them and why their participation is essential to the success of the reset. A national transformation cannot be achieved by the government alone.

If the state pursues the reset agenda without taking the citizenry along, it risks turning a potentially transformative national programme into another political slogan.

The Chronicle believes the reset must be real, visible and measurable, rather than merely rhetorical. Ghana needs a change in both the way the country is governed and the way its citizens approach their responsibilities.

Only then can the reset agenda become a genuine national project capable of confronting the country’s longstanding challenges and putting Ghana on a sustainable path of development.

**For more ** news**, join The Chronicle ** Newspaper** channel on WhatsApp: **https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBSs55E50UqNPvSOm2z

The post Editorial: ‘Reset’ Must Reflect In Our National Attitude appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.