In a critique of Ghana’s social and professional landscape, renowned business management consultant Dr. Ishmael Yamson has warned that the nation is perilously replacing meritocracy with a destructive culture of patronage.
Addressing a distinguished gathering at the opening ceremony of the University of Ghana’s 77th Annual New Year School and Conference (ANYSC) on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, the CEO of Ishmael Yamson & Associates argued that the “whom you know” syndrome has become a systemic rot, discouraging the youth and undermining national development.
Dr. Yamson expressed deep concern over the diminishing value of academic and professional excellence in the face of political and social connections.
He noted that the shift from “what you know” to “whom you know” has created a society where hard work is no longer the primary vehicle for upward mobility.
“Besides, we have created a society where ‘whom you know’ has become infinitely more important than what you know. We have replaced merit with patronage,” Dr. Yamson remarked.
He painted a grim picture of the psychological toll this takes on the nation’s brightest minds, particularly young graduates who find themselves sidelined despite their high academic achievements.
The veteran consultant warned that when the state fails to reward excellence, it inadvertently pushes the youth toward destructive paths.
By making public service roles dependent on “protocol connections”, the system sends a dangerous message to the next generation.
“When a young graduate with a first-class degree feels that their hard work is worthless without their protocol connection to get a job in the public service, we are telling our youth that excellence no longer pays,” he lamented.
According to Dr. Yamson, this disillusionment is a primary driver behind the surge in social vices. He suggested that if the youth see no path to success through merit, they are “better off in betting cafes or planning cyber crimes.”
Dr. Yamson argued that no nation can achieve sustainable development when its institutions are staffed by the connected rather than the competent.
This culture of patronage, he suggested, is a key component of the national malaise that prevents Ghana from moving from economic stabilisation to true transformation.
He called for an iron will of execution to dismantle protocol lists and restore the dignity of the Ghanaian professional space, ensuring that the most capable hands are the ones steering the nation’s affairs.
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