The Founding President and Chief Executive Officer of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, Franklin Cudjoe has criticized President Akufo-Addo over recent claims of delivering on his presidential mandate.
Mr Cudjoe, in scathing rebuke, highlighted a series of unfulfilled promises and failures that, according to him, have left the nation worse off than it was before President Akufo-Addo took office.
“Sorry, Sir, you failed monumentally. You promised to put your presidency on the line to fight galamsey. You failed!
“You wasted almost all the gains from $13bn investment ( the highest Foreign Direct Investment made by any president in the fourth republic) made by your predecessor John Mahama in the oil and energy sectors mostly on vanity projects, got badly exposed by COVID-19, borrowed billions into a debt iceberg that forced us into a reckless debt exchange programme by giving us wicked financial haircuts while taxing us into penury”.
Franklin Cudjoe, Founding President of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education
Mr Cudjoe argued that the investment was meant to bolster Ghana’s economic stability and growth, however, poor management and ill-advised spending have squandered these resources, leaving the country exposed to economic vulnerabilities.
COVID-19 Expenditure
The IMANI boss did not mince words when discussing the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, accusing President Akufo-Addo of engaging in reckless expenditure without due diligence.
Mr Cudjoe painted a grim picture of the economic landscape, characterized by soaring debt levels, severe austerity measures, and increased taxation, which he claims have driven nearly a million Ghanaians into deeper poverty, marking the highest unemployment rate in the Fourth Republic.
The Founding President of the policy think-tank, IMANI Centre for Policy and Education’s critique also touched on the country’s financial stability, citing high inflation rates, skyrocketing interest rates, and a depreciating currency as evidence of economic mismanagement.
“The end result was a jerky high-speed journey to the IMF with deep wounds of a junk economy that had inflation at 54% at a point, dizzying interest rates, and a runaway forex rate four times what it was in 2016”.
Franklin Cudjoe, Founding President of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education
These statistics underscore the severity of Ghana’s economic challenges, which Mr Cudjoe attributed to the government’s failure to implement sound fiscal policies.
Reflecting on the government’s recent actions, Mr Cudjoe commended the appointment of Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam as Finance Minister but criticized the timing, suggesting it was a rare positive decision that should have been made much earlier.
“I still maintain you should have made one of the few good decisions you made recently earlier — the appointment of Dr Mohammed Amin Adam as Finance Minister,” he emphasized.
President Akufo-Addo’s Failures
Echoing Mr Cudjoe’s sentiments, Kofi Hamilton Amekudzi, a political activist and commentator, reiterated the litany of failures attributed to President Akufo-Addo’s administration.
“Dear Prez Nana Addo, with all due respect, which mandates did you accomplish? Which big picture successes can you count as yours?” Amekudzi questioned, challenging President Akufo-Addo to provide evidence of any significant achievements during his tenure.
He proceeded to list a series of promises made by President Akufo-Addo that, in his view, remain unfulfilled.
“You promised to make Accra the cleanest city in your first term. You failed. Your government promised to give each village a dam. You failed. Your government promised not to overborrow like your predecessor. You failed”.
Kofi Hamilton Amekudzi, Political Activist and Commentator
He continued to enumerate additional broken promises, ranging from economic management to social development initiatives.
“You promised to keep the Cedi in check. You failed. You promised to protect the public purse. You failed. Your government promised not to go to the IMF. You failed“.
Kofi Hamilton Amekudzi, Political Activist and Commentator
He also criticized the government’s inability to deliver on promises such as building a factory in every district, stabilizing the economy, reducing inflation, and constructing a national cathedral — all initiatives that were central to the president’s campaign platform.
“You promised Ghana beyond aid. You failed. You promised to reduce the hardships faced by Ghanaians. You failed. You promised elections at the MMDCE level. You failed,” Amekudzi concluded, painting a stark picture of unmet expectations and perceived incompetence under the current government.
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