The latest comments of former President John Agyekum Kufuor have sparked mixed reactions from concerned members of the public raising questions about his silence when Ghanaians were reeling under economic hardships.
Former President Kufuor in a recent interview endorsed Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as his preferred choice ahead of the crucial 2024 General Elections calling on Ghanaians to vote for him.
But the President of the IMANI Center for Policy and Education, Franklin Cudjoe admits that the former President, revered for his statesmanship, without any doubt has every right to throw his support behind whoever he believes in.
However, Franklin Cudjoe cannot fathom why the former President disregarded the harsh realities on the ground that have put many Ghanaians into economic hardships.
In a Facebook post to react to the endorsement by President Kufuor, the CSO head questioned why the NPP man was noticeably absent when vulnerable senior citizens, some frail and defenseless, were forced to queue in the sweltering heat to plead for their savings.
These retirees, Franklin Cudjoe says relying on their modest pensions for survival, were subjected to painful “financial haircuts” as the government’s debt restructuring program slashed their hard-earned investments, leaving nearly 900 senior citizens reportedly dead due to the distress.
“Where was Kufuor when millions of Ghanaians were given ugly financial haircuts solely due to reckless financial and economic management of the Economic Management Team? Did he sympathize with us? Where has he been when we had to deal with a 54% inflation rate, still dealing with 40 plus pernicious taxes? Has he said a word to ordinary businesses and individuals who are toiling to make ends meet?” he quizzed.
Quoting World Bank’s figures to make his point, Franklin Cudjoe argued that poverty rates in Ghana are expected to climb until 2026, with a projected peak of 31.5% in 2025 before a slight decline. The harsh reality is that rising prices have far outpaced income growth for the country’s poorest, exacerbating inequality and deepening poverty levels.
“President Kufuor needs to be reminded that his successor president, Nana Addo and his “solid” economic management team headed by Bawumia junketed our economy, drove us into a mighty debt iceberg, literally pickpocketed savings of innocent and defenseless senior citizens against their will, gave the rest of us ugly financial haircuts,” he added.
On the issue of governance, IMANI’s boss also questioned President Kufuor’s silence on the plight of the people in the Volta Region’s SALL areas, who have been disenfranchised for years. He wonders why he did not raise his voice against the political marginalization of these citizens or speak up against the government’s failure to curb illegal mining, which has devastated the nation’s rivers and ecosystems.
As the nation heads toward another election season, Franklin Cudjoe is rather calling on Ghanaians to reflect on the past and present economic conditions when choosing their next leaders. The endorsement of Dr. Bawumia by a respected figure like President Kufuor, Franklin Cudjoe says should not overshadow the need for accountability and a leadership that truly understands the struggles of ordinary Ghanaians.
