Imani Africa President Franklin Cudjoe has questioned where former President John Kufuor was when the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government subjected senior citizens his age to harsh conditions, compelling them to picket under the scorching sun to demand their due investments.

Additionally, Mr. Cudjoe sought to know whether Mr. Kufuor—who recently endorsed Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia's bid to become the president on the ticket of the incumbent New Patriotic Party—was aware that the government in which Dr. Bawumia is serving, plunged the economy into disarray, sinking it into deep debt.

Speaking to selected journalists on Sunday, November 17, the former President said: "Given the current global circumstances, I firmly believe that Ghana’s economy will experience significant improvement if Bawumia is elected as President. With divine guidance, he is capable of delivering on this promise, and I encourage you to support his candidacy."

Mr. Kufuor added: "I have observed his remarkable abilities in economic enhancement during my tenure, as he was integral to the Bank of Ghana’s team under Governor Dr. Paul Acquah, contributing to the revival of the currency."

In an article reacting to Mr. Kufuor’s endorsement of Dr. Bawumia, Mr. Cudjoe acknowledged that the former president has “every right to choose anyone he wants to lead his party” and also “the right to choose whoever he wants to lead Ghana at this crucial moment.”

However, Mr. Cudjoe noted: "Many of us also deserve to question the rationale behind his choices, especially if they are related to the pile of economic carnage and political chicanery that has landed us in our current atrophy and international ridicule."

He then asked: "Where was President Kufuor's voice when defenceless and frail old men and women had to queue under the scorching sun to beg Nana and Bawumia's government to hand over their savings and miserable pension contributions? And yet they were given dreadful financial haircuts, sending almost 900 of these senior citizens prematurely to their graves."

"Where was Kufuor when millions of Ghanaians endured ugly financial haircuts solely due to reckless financial and economic mismanagement by the Economic Management Team? Did he sympathise with us? Where has he been as we’ve had to deal with a 54% inflation rate and 40-plus pernicious taxes?"

"Has he said a word to ordinary businesses and individuals toiling to make ends meet? Where was he when nearly 1 million Ghanaians were plunged deeper into poverty by the recklessness of his beloved economic team?"

The Imani President continued: "Where was Kufuor when his own party of so-called property-owning democrats Machiavellianly disenfranchised thousands of Ghanaians in SALL? Any comforting words? Where was Kufuor when many young men and women were thrown in jail for questioning why the government aided the poisoning of our rivers through uncontrolled illegal mining?"

Scenarios Highlighted by Franklin Cudjoe:

"My dear President Kufuor, can you help with the below?"

•             2016:

o             $1 = 4 cedis

o             1 bag of cement = 24 cedis

o             Ghana at IMF, but the government did not 'pickpocket' the savings of Ghanaians or pensioners through a tortuous debt exchange program.

o             Debt as of 2016 = 120 billion cedis.

•             2024 (under Bawumia and Nana Addo):

o             $1 = 17 cedis (October)

o             1 bag of cement = 105 cedis

o             Ghana at IMF, arrived amidst severe economic strains, with over 40 painful taxes and financial haircuts that 'pickpocketed' the savings of Ghanaians and pensioners through the debt exchange program.

Debt as of 2024 = a staggering 763 billion cedis.

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%. Poverty rates at the LMIC line could potentially reach 55.1% by 2026 due to limited growth in services and agriculture, and rising prices outpacing income growth for the poorest.

"Perhaps President Kufuor needs to be reminded that his successor, Nana Addo, and his 'solid' economic management team headed by Bawumia junked our economy, drove us into a mighty debt iceberg, literally pickpocketed the savings of innocent and defenceless senior citizens, gave the rest of us ugly financial haircuts, and finally supervised the worst ecological homicide through illegal mining."

"Maybe President Kufuor should encourage all to choose wisely and peacefully."