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Opinions of Wednesday, 21 January 2015

Columnist: Akwaa, Nana Kwadwo

Fifi Kwetey, Is It Ignorance Or Propaganda?!

JOHN AGYEKUM KUFUOR IS THE BEST EVER

Arguably, Ex-President Agyekum Kufuor can be said to be the best ever in the history of Ghana or can be said to be equally as good, in terms of achievements as Ex-President Kwame Nkrumah.

This can be said, especially by comparing the achievements of the two in terms of GOVERNANCE, INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENTS, SOCIAL INTERVENTIONS and others.

Again, considering the economy they both inherited, population to the country's resources (HUMAN, MINERAL, TIMBER, FOOD, etc.) as the major factors then arguably it can be said that J.A Kufuor was the best ever or somehow comparable to Kwame Nkrumah because for instance, with the economy they inherited as a factor, Nkrumah inherited the best economy ever in the history of Ghana from the British and made it a little less better than what he inherited before his overthrow by Afrifa but Kufuor inherited the worst economy arguably in the history of Ghana, worst in the history of the 4th Republic from Ex-President Rawlings and made it better than how any President or Head of State has made it as far back as the reign of General Acheampong or arguably even beyond.

Because of the reasons above, it is therefore shocking, mindboggling and preposterous for Hon. Fifi Kwetey to say President Mahama's current 2 years (2012-2014) out of his total 6 years (2009-2014) rule is better than that of President Kufuor's historic 8 years (2001-2008) rule of Ghana in terms of ACHIEVEMENTS, INFRASTRUCTURE, SOCIAL INTERVENTIONS and everything and so we ask this simple question, is it ignorance, intellectual dishonesty or sheepish propaganda?

Seriously, we must ask again, is it ignorance or propaganda? Because it is a serious knowledge ridicule and an insult to GHANAIANS/ TECHNOCRATS because all the SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENTAL indicators all show that Kufuor was far better than Mahama, not even only that, but also, Mahama has also destroyed, worsened and brought very low all the high standards that Kufuor took Ghana to or got Ghana recognised for on the international platform.
Actually, the performance of Mahama with respect to his destruction of Ghana's economy hasn't only brought us economic hardships but also, has gotten us ridiculed and brought us so much shame on the international platform especially our senior colleagues, the Western world.

Ghanaians, it would interest us to be taken chronologically through the memory lane:

1. Ghana is now the rising star of Africa - Obama(2009) - Glory

2. Ghana is now in the middle income economic status(2009) - Glory

3. Ghana has tarnished her rising star image - Financial Times (2014) - A RIDICULE/SHAME

4. Ghana is drawing back gradually into its HIPC status again - Bawumia (2014) - A SHAME.

We need not to talk about infrastructural development because Kufuor/NPP did far better than the Mahama/NDC six years.

Below are some other direct comparisons of some ECONOMIC INDICATORS between Kuffour's 8 years rule and Mahama's 6 years rule

1. Economic Growth Rate;
KUFUOR/NPP inherited 3.7% in 2001(oil not inclusive) from RAWLINGS/NDC and left it at 8.4% in 2008(oil not inclusive), MAHAMA/NDC inherited it from KUFUOR/NPP in 2009, but has currently dropped it to about 4.5%(oil inclusive) with analysts even predicting a possible further decline to 3.9% by the close of the first quarter of 2015.

2. Debt to GDP;
KUFUOR/NPP inherited 182% of GDP in 2001 from RAWLINGS/NDC and left it at 33% of GDP representing 9.5 billion Ghana cedis in 2008, MAHAMA/NDC inherited this from KUFUOR/NPP in 2009 but as at September 2014, MAHAMA/NDC has shot it up to above 60% of GDP representing 69.7 billion Ghana cedis.

3. Inflation:
KUFUOR/NPP inherited 40% in 2001 from RAWLINGS/NDC and left it at 18% in 2008, MAHAMA/NDC inherited it in 2009 from KUFUOR/NPP but as at January 2015, it stood at 17%.

4. Foreign Exchange (Cedi To Dollar);
KUFUOR/NPP inherited 0.75 Ghana cedis to a dollar in 2001 from RAWLINGS/NDC and left it at 1.2 Ghana cedis to a dollar in 2008, MAHAMA/NDC inherited it in 2009 from KUFUOR/NPP but as at January 2015, it has shot up to 3.4 Ghana cedis to a dollar.

5. Lending Interest Rate
KUFUOR/NPP inherited a bad one from RAWLINGS/NDC in 2001, KUFUOR/NPP left it at a very good rate in 2008 which got lots of banks chasing customers to give them loans, MAHAMA/NDC inherited it and has worsened it, made it so bad that customers are running away from going for loans with those who have gone for the loans finding it so difficult to pay because of its very high rate of around 30% as at December 2014.

The reasons above don't only show that Kufuor is better than Mahama in terms of everything but also it makes Mahama one of the best messers or worst managers of our economy in the history of the 4th Republic or even beyond, making it also a proof that Hon. Fifi kwetey isn't only a pathological liar but also a very ignorant person who doesn't take his time to research well and know before coming out to spread falsehood into the public domain, which we must say is a BIG INSULT to CRITICAL MINDS and KNOWLEDGE and most importantly, Ghanaians who enthrone and dethrone governments.

Thank you.

#May God be praised always#

Nana Kwadwo Akwaa... 0246913905


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