Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has warned politicians against taking the Ghanaian electorate for granted, describing the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) loss in the 2024 general elections as a clear lesson on the consequences of governance missteps.
Speaking in an interview on The Delay Show hosted by Deloris Frimpong Manso, the former President criticised key policy decisions under the Akufo-Addo administration, citing the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), the National Cathedral project, and the Power Distribution Services (PDS) deal as factors that contributed to the party’s defeat.
“This shows that the Ghanaian electorate cannot be taken for granted. It is a lesson for politicians to be mindful of their actions,” Mr Kufuor warned.
According to Mr Kufuor, the NPP’s overwhelming victory in the 2016 elections was largely built on the achievements of his administration, which formed the backbone of the party’s campaign at the time. However, he said the direction of governance shifted after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo assumed office.
“Before the 2016 election in which Akufo-Addo was elected, the campaign was built on my achievements. Those achievements played a key role in his victory,” he said. “The government started on a good note, but things changed after he assumed power.”
He noted that while the Akufo-Addo administration initially showed promise, decisions taken after the COVID-19 pandemic raised serious concerns. Among them were bond market challenges, the failed PDS transaction, and the National Cathedral project.
Mr Kufuor expressed particular concern about the National Cathedral, lamenting that state resources and national assets were expended on a project that remains unfinished. He disclosed that he was not consulted on the initiative and only became aware of developments after construction had begun.
“I was not consulted, as I did not attend cabinet meetings. I only saw the construction,” he said, adding that residential apartments for judges and other officials were demolished to make way for the project.
Reflecting on the party’s electoral trajectory, Mr Kufuor pointed to the sharp contrast between the NPP’s landslide win in 2016, the tense 2020 elections that resulted in a hung Parliament, and the eventual defeat in 2024.
“We won the 2016 elections by a landslide. The 2020 elections were tense and produced a hung Parliament, and the 2024 elections were something else entirely,” he said.
He stressed that the outcome underscores the need for political leaders to govern with discipline, accountability and respect for the wishes of the electorate.
Source:Lovinghananews.com
