Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI Africa, has urged Ghanaians to steer clear of fake news during the upcoming elections and instead focus on holding politicians accountable for their promises and actions.
He emphasized the need for fact-based discussions, cautioning against the spread of misinformation that can mislead voters and create unnecessary tension.
Using an example, Cudjoe pointed out that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has not stated in its manifesto any intention to cancel Free SHS, the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) program, or the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
He strongly condemned claims to the contrary, labeling anyone spreading such falsehoods as a “Bold Liar.”
“I have not said anywhere that Ghana was lucky to have Nana Addo as president. Certainly, l have not given any 20 reasons why Nana Addo was the best to happen to Ghana.
“This is a bold fake statement attributed to me. Even if l was on some high-grade substance, l would never make such a hapless statement after the president and his “solid” economic management team junketed our economy…”
Franklin Cudjoe
Franklin further argued that it is highly improbable for him to make such a claim, especially given the government’s track record of pushing the country into a massive debt crisis.
He indicated that the government has effectively “pickpocketed” innocent and defenseless senior citizens, subjecting the rest of the population to severe financial losses through the controversial debt restructuring program.
The IMANI Afric boss also accused the government of overseeing an environmental catastrophe caused by illegal mining activities.
As such, Franklin Cudjoe emphasized that any news attributing the cancellation of either LEAP or NHIS to the NDC should be dismissed as entirely false, urging Ghanaians to critically evaluate such claims and focus on verifiable facts.
He reiterated the importance of rejecting fake news and fostering a more informed and constructive political discourse.
Franklin Cudjoe Questions Ghana’s Worsening Economic Conditions
Franklin Cudjoe also highlighted the pressing need for Ghanaians to get answers to critical economic questions. He contrasted two scenarios to illustrate the country’s economic challenges.
He pointed out that in 2016, the exchange rate was $1 = 4 cedis, a bag of cement cost 24 cedis, and Ghana was under an IMF program.
Cudjoe noted that despite these conditions, the government at the time did not “pickpocket” the savings of Ghanaians or pensioners through a debt exchange program, and the public debt stood at 120 billion cedis.
In comparison, he noted the situation in 2024 under the leadership of Dr. Bawumia and President Nana Addo.
Cudjoe pointed out that the exchange rate has risen to $1 = 17 cedis (as of October), and a bag of cement now costs 105 cedis. Ghana is again under an IMF program, but this time with far worse conditions.
He indicated that over forty new taxes have been introduced, and citizens have endured painful financial losses through the debt exchange program, which he described as the government “pickpocketing” the savings of Ghanaians and pensioners.
He highlighted the current public debt, which has skyrocketed to a staggering 763 billion cedis, describing the situation as deeply troubling (Atutuobutom paaa).
“According to the World Bank, poverty rates are projected to rise until 2026, peaking at 31.5% in 2025 before slightly declining to 30.6%, with rates at the LMIC line potentially reaching 55.1% by 2026 due to limited growth in services and agriculture and rising prices outpacing income growth for the poorest.- Why?
“The greatest sin of all, precociously disenfranchising defenseless citizens like SALL using judicial and legal plunder. Why? No apology? No redemption?”
Franklin Cudjoe
Cudjoe disclosed that Dr. Bawumia has invited leaders of civil society organizations, including himself, to discuss his vision for Ghana and present why he believes he is the best candidate to lead the nation in 2025. “Sadly, I won’t be available to be part of the encounter as I will be away in the US”.
He stated that he would have directly asked the Vice President what went wrong with the economy and why he is not addressing these issues as vocally as he did between 2014 and 2016
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