National Cathedral, DDEP Among Policies Kufuor Says Hurt NPP in 2024
Kufuor Criticises Akufo-Addo Government Over Key Policy Decisions
Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has openly criticised the Akufo-Addo administration, stating that several major policy decisions contributed to the New Patriotic Party’s loss in the 2024 elections.
Speaking on The Delay Show, Kufuor said he never understood the logic behind the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), the National Cathedral project, and the Power Distribution Services (PDS) deal. He added that he was not consulted on any of these decisions.
He noted that the NPP’s rise to power in 2016 was built on the achievements of his own administration.
“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. The government started on a good note, but things changed after he assumed power,” he said.
Kufuor said the sharp shift in policy direction, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, left him concerned.
“After COVID-19, I could not understand some of the decisions taken, including the bond market issues, PDS and the National Cathedral project, which has still not been completed,” he added.
He was particularly troubled by the handling of the National Cathedral project, pointing to the demolition of state-owned residential apartments for judges and other officials to make way for a project that remains unfinished.
“I was not consulted, as I did not attend cabinet meetings. I only saw the construction. Apartments that housed judges and others were demolished for the National Cathedral, yet it remains unfinished,” he said.
Reflecting on the NPP’s performance over the last three election cycles, Kufuor highlighted the significant decline in voter support.
“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.
“This shows that the Ghanaian electorate should never be taken for granted. It is a lesson for politicians to be mindful of their actions.”
