Higher fees doesn’t mean better quality of leaders

THE O’Neill Government has proposed a nomination fee hike from K1,000 to K10,000 for candidates contesting the 2017 national elections.
I have stated previously that there is no justification for this fee hike. I also said qualities and attributes of leadership were real issues for leadership.
Many leadership guides are available in both secular and religious spheres.
In the Book of Books, the Holy Bible, we find many examples of good and bad leadership.
A common thread is fear of God and keeping of commandments of God as necessary for God’s blessings.
Paul places very important place for leadership. In his counsel to Timothy, he recounts qualities of leadership of an overseer such as a bishop in a church. Smallest unit of church or government is family.
Head of family is the father. So in 1 Timothy 3 we see common qualities of leadership for overseers and deacons, which are fitting for our leaders.
These are: Above reproach; husband of one wife; temperate; self-controlled; respectable; hospitable; able to teach; not given to drunkenness; not violent; not quarrelsome; and not a lover of money.
At verses 4-5, Paul clarifies the requirement for public leadership: “He must manage his own household well, keeping his children under control with perfect dignity, for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of the church of God?”
PNG people are praying for good and godly leadership in 2017.
Leaders will not win with fee hike for nomination as the role of leaders will not be improved by higher nomination fee.
It only cuts out genuine leaders who are not lovers of money.

James Wanjik, Via email