Professor Stephen Adei, Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), has criticized the "winner-takes-all" mentality of politicians in Ghana, saying the practice immobilizes at least 40 per cent of Ghanaian brains simply because they do not belong to a ruling government. He said that the practice, which had characterized political governance in Ghana since independence, was one of the greatest weaknesses which had constrained the demonstration of strong developmental leadership. He suggested the setting up of a national think tank, taking a cue from the other emerging countries. Prof. Adei, who retires from GIMPA this Sunday was giving his valedictory lecture at the British Council in Accra on Wednesday after nine years of service to the institute. It was under the theme: 'Reading the Ghanaian Dream: Challenges and Prospects Open to the New Government and the people of Ghana from January 2009.' Touching on the issue of winner takes all, he said the greatest challenge to Ghana's future is the quality of leadership. Prof. Add said the winner takes all concept has the tendency of making politicians, upon assumption of office, to appoint old school mates and other cronies to positions, disregarding competence and merit. "We have this unfortunate situation where old students from their former schools suddenly become intelligent when their school colleagues assume power," he said emphasizing that it ought to stop immediately. "It results in weak leadership when you surround yourself with people who have no broader national vision and who only fuel patrimony". According to him, asking for vision and delivering on development is a call for a capable and trusted team to do so. He reminded Ghanaians that no nation in modern times had developed without a national think tank capacity. He insisted that the National Development Planning Commission could not even be said to be a national think tank, referring to it as a still born institution. "The NDPC was politicized from day one and has not attracted the calibre of personnel that make for a serious think tank, has been bureaucratized and most importantly has not enjoyed the confidence and trust of any administration." He said the commission would only be seen to be performing the role of a national think tank if it commissions about 15 top-notch scholars and practitioners put together from among the best of Ghanaians, locally and in the Diaspora. "For me that will be the litmus test that the emerging leadership is serious about delivering development,” he said. He further called for what he termed the Ghanaian vision which would involve carving a new future that was attractive, bold, inspiring and achievable. Source: The Ghanaian Times