Politicians Must Plan Their Exit - Sammi Awuku

The National Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sammi Awuku has advised politicians to plan their exit before they are ousted from power.

According to him, politicians sometimes fail to devise contingency plans against ceding power to a successive government, stressing their “inability to plan your exit win or lose affects you greatly”.

His comment follows reports that a lot of Parliamentarians live as paupers once they leave the legislative house. 

Sammi Awuku contributing to a panel discussion on Joy FM’s 'Super Morning' Show added that “no one can anticipate the time of disaster like in the book of Ecclesiastes, just like the fish caught in the coil net, or a bird caught in a wicked trap; so are humans caught in the time of calamity”.

“NPP never thought we were going to lose in 2008 because it felt that all the indicators were right, and we were winning. NDC never dreamt that they were going to lose 2016 because they also picked these same indicators and that’s the life of a politician,” he said.

Mr Awuku further iterated that politicians are the employees of the people, hence they should always conduct a reality check.

“You are only a leader when you turn and your constituents are following you. You are only a leader when you turn and these voters are still following you. But, as a leader, the moment you turn and the people are no longer following you, you are taking a walk rather than leading them.”

Power and Arrogance

He also urged Parliamentarians not to become arrogant saying “politics and power shouldn’t change you because the people you meet on your way up you’ll meet them on your way down. This is the lesson that goes for all of us”.

“Don’t become arrogant when you become Member of Parliament; continue doing the very thing you use to do with them when seeking power. Do not stop doing them.

“Be affable and don’t see people as a lesser human being . . . Politics and power shouldn’t change you because the people you meet on your way up are the same people you will meet on your way down,” he advised.