Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has sent a strong message to Ghanaian politicians, urging them to treat the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) defeat in the 2024 elections as a clear warning: the electorate will not tolerate mismanagement.
Appearing on The Delay Show, Mr. Kufuor candidly dissected the reasons behind the party’s loss. He attributed the defeat to several controversial decisions under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, including the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), the National Cathedral project, and the failed Power Distribution Services (PDS) deal.
“The Ghanaian electorate cannot be taken for granted. Politicians must learn from this,” he stressed, emphasizing that the election results reflected widespread public dissatisfaction with these key decisions.
Reflecting on the party’s journey, Mr. Kufuor recalled that the NPP’s landslide victory in 2016 was built on the back of his administration’s achievements. “Before 2016, the campaign was anchored on my achievements. The government started well, but things changed after he took office,” he observed, noting a shift in governance priorities after President Akufo-Addo assumed office.
The former President highlighted how post-COVID-19 decisions, particularly those affecting the bond market, the handling of the PDS deal, and the National Cathedral project, became flashpoints for public anger. He revealed that he was never consulted about the Cathedral and only learned of the project after construction was underway. He further criticized the demolition of state properties, including housing for judges, to make way for a project that remains incomplete.
Mr. Kufuor traced the NPP’s recent electoral trajectory: an overwhelming victory in 2016, a razor-thin and contentious result in 2020 that led to a hung Parliament, and the emphatic defeat in 2024. “We won massively in 2016. The 2020 elections were tight and gave us a hung Parliament, and 2024 was something else altogether,” he stated.
Concluding his reflections, Mr. Kufuor delivered a caution to all politicians: to retain the trust of Ghanaians, leaders must govern with transparency, discipline, and a keen sensitivity to the expectations of the people.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
