Franklin Cudjoe
Franklin Cudjoe, Founding President of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, has issued a pointed response to recent criticism directed at his organization’s stance on Ghana’s political leadership. In a letter addressed to a critic named Fati, Cudjoe reaffirmed IMANI’s longstanding commitment to holding power accountable, regardless of political affiliation.
“For 21 years, IMANI has been passionately active in exposing careless and wasteful leadership,” Cudjoe wrote. “We have not spared either the NDC or the NPP.” He dismissed claims of partisan bias, noting that he has been accused of aligning with both major parties, once for being photographed drinking Kalyppo, and again for criticizing the economic legacy of the Nana Addo administration.
Cudjoe offered a sharp comparative analysis of the economic governance records of former President John Dramani Mahama and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. He described Mahama’s 2016 performance as earning a “B-” rating from international agencies, while characterizing the Akufo-Addo administration’s promise to outperform that mark as a failure. “They appointed 123 ministers and over 1,200 presidential staffers, claiming they had the men to fix Ghana,” he wrote. “That mantra turned into economically impotent and incompetent men, simply area boys.”
He accused the Nana Addo administration of reckless borrowing, citing a national debt exceeding 780 billion cedis and the erosion of pension savings. “They promised no financial haircuts and swore we weren’t going to the IMF. These turned out to be outright lies,” he stated.
Cudjoe also highlighted the economic gains made during Mahama’s tenure, referencing a $13 billion foreign direct investment confirmed by Kosmos Energy in November 2024. He credited Mahama’s leadership for ending the energy crisis known as “dumsor” and for contributing to GDP growth rates averaging 7% in 2017 and 2018. “Those figures were not due to any economic wizardry from a so-called solid team,” he argued. “They were the fruits of Mahama’s foresight.”
In contrast, Cudjoe lamented the lack of progress in the energy sector over the past eight years, describing the Aker deal as “shambolic” and accusing successive energy ministers of incompetence. “All they added was huge judgment debts,” he said.
He concluded with a rhetorical question aimed at those who continue to draw inspiration from the current leadership: “Why would any serious presidential hopeful, thinking of breaking with a failed leadership that left a junk-rated economy and looted pensions, still take inspiration from the very source of the bedlam?”
Cudjoe closed his remarks with a personal note, sharing that political friendships do not equate to partisan loyalty. “If taking photos with presidents meant I was in their camp, then here’s one with the most failed political leader of our generation. He remains my friend.”
The statement underscores IMANI’s continued role as a watchdog in Ghana’s democratic landscape, challenging leadership across the political spectrum with equal fervor.
