Policy analyst and founding president of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has pushed back at comments made by NPP member Kofi Tonto about the recent utility tariff proposals under the new NDC government.
Tonto, in a social media post, took aim at what he described as the “Ɛye Zu Second Independence Government,” criticizing the scale of proposed hikes.
“Under this Ɛye Zu Second Independence Government: ECG wants 225% increment. Ghana Water wants 280% increment.
“VRA wants 59%. NEDco and ECG want a new tariff for street lights. Ghana Gas wants 91% increment. Me: What a RESET,” Tonto wrote.
But Cudjoe, in a strongly worded response, placed the blame for today’s challenges squarely on the shoulders of the NPP, who governed for the past eight years.
“Sad. If only the last 8 years had been sensibly spent and managed!
“Nothing was done in the 8 years to optimise our hydrocarbons – instead armtwisting and extortionist tactics to chase out investors. Even the cash waterfall mechanism to prevent the waste and theft was abandoned,” he argued.
Cudjoe pointed to specific policy failures, citing what he called wasteful and scandalous decisions by the previous government.
“Instead they could spend $45 million on moving power plants from Accra to Kumasi. Gas deals were nothing but plunderous scams! PDS was messed up even though the Americans were partially to blame!”
He also lashed out at the controversial Domestic Debt Exchange Programme, describing it as devastating for ordinary Ghanaians.
“We were gaslighted, shaved off our pensions, head hunted and suffered permanent hair loss due to the messy debt exchange programme after High Street gamblers gambled with our future,” he said.
While acknowledging current hardships, Cudjoe’s intervention highlights how much of today’s pain, including rising costs of utilities, stems from what he describes as “mismanagement and missed opportunities” under the immediate past NPP government.
