Government 2, WASSCE (SC), 2022

Question 1

Identify five reasons for which citizens lose trust in government.

Observation

This question was popular among the candidates. The candidates who attempted it performed very well in section and scored high marks. However, some candidates deprived themselves of good marks by merely listing the points without further explanation. Candidates were expected to provide the following answers to the question.

  1. Widespread corruption in government
  2. High level of unemployment
  3. High cost of living/high rate of inflation
  4. State of insecurity e.g. armed robberies, kidnappings, terrorist attacks, banditry 
  5. Widespread poverty
  6. Inability to provide social services/social amenities e.g. education, roads, health
  7. Extravagance/opulence on the part of government officials
  8. Arrogance of power by public officers
  9. Disregard for constitutionalism/Rule of Law
  10. Victimization of political opponents
  11. Undue interference in the work of the judiciary/judicial system
  12. Arbitrary use of power by government officials
  13. Human rights abuses
  14. Press censorship
  15. Poor service delivery by state institutions
  16. Electoral manipulation/rigging of elections/interference in the electoral process
  17. Tribalism, nepotism and favoritism in the public service
  18. Poor remuneration of workers: which leads to strikes
  19. Disregard for ethics and morality in governance
  20. Failure to protect state resources
  21. Poor accountability and transparency in public service
  22. Low productivity/poor performance of the economy
  23. Lack of checks and balances by the various organs
  24. Unfulfilled promises by the government.