Our former president H.E. John Agyekum Kufuor, ranks as one of the best Black leaders in modern times and certainly the best leader Ghana ever had. In 1957, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, met in the national coffers, a credit balance of $670 million, and by 1966 when he was overthrown, he left a national debt of $1.0 billion.
Most of the major projects, like the constructions of the Akosombo dam, the Tema Harbour and the Accra-Tema motorway, which could have been funded with the $670 million, became only possible with foreign loans. His human-rights records were similar to box-office horror movies.
Since 1966, every government that came, met a national debt and left adding on to it. This was so until Kufuor stepped on the scene. He met a national debt of almost $10 billion and left after 2008 with Ghana owing $9.8 billion in an era of global economic challenges. During his term of office, our cedi, once ranked higher than the dollar. for the first time since 1967.
Kufuor’s record is unchallenged to this day that even the NDC and Nkrumaists who hate the UP Tradition with all their might, publicly admit that he is the best in recent times.
One thing about Kufuor was that he looks out for the best in people and encourages them to use that and move on to success. He has that gift of identifying a speck of goodness in a person and will encourage him to make that speck shine so brightly for all to see. Collectively, his administration had the best appointees ever assembled in recent times.
In a recent interview, Kufuor was to speak on Dr. Bawumia and his chances. No one, but Kufuor, can tell a better story about Bawumia, the former deputy governor of the Bank of Ghana who was there when our economy rose from ashes to glorious heights.
He played major roles in assisting in lifting our economy and here I can say that when I read chapter 8 of his book, Monetary Policy and Financial Sector Reform on Africa – Ghana’ Experience, on Redenomination of the Cedi, I was fascinated and felt proud as a Ghanaian to have people who collectively had this idea to push Ghana forward.
I quote a few lines, in one part, “The rationale for redenomination was manifest in the quantum of notes required for everyday transactions. The legacy of the previous episodes of high inflation had been the rapid increases in the numerical values of prices (moving into millions, billions and trillions depending on the context) as well as foreign currency exchange in local currency terms.
” And in another, “The re-denomination freed the economy to do business in the most efficient way….” Because of the redenomination, while today a trader can board a vehicle with GH¢5,000.00 in one bundle of fifty notes safely tucked on herself without anyone noticing, the same cannot be said of a trader having ¢50 million on herself, in twenty-five bundles of ¢20,000.00 notes.
Having said this, I am not privy to the fact that Dr. Bawumia was the one who suggested the re-denomination, however, he was in the team that brought this to be. That team led by Hon Baah-Wiredu, was priceless.
Of course, one cannot say that Bawumia alone led the Kufuor administration into victory and have it ranked as the best government since independence. Others might have brought very good ideas and may even have sacrificed more than Dr. Bawumia, who as deputy governor could only submit his good ideas to the governor who will submit them to the finance minister who will table them at cabinet before the president.
There were many others who were directly linked with the president who did more than Bawumia to push the economy on.
One such person is Hon. Alan Kyerematen who took industrialisation in Ghana to greater heights in both the Kufuor and the Nana Akufo-Addo administrations. Now those who know Alan’s contribution will expect him to be named above all names when listing those competent enough to govern this country. But when asked who can best be our next president, Kufuor named Bawumia.
This made Alan very disappointed, which made him say something about Kufuor which he should not have said. It was way, way, way off. The elders say, what the aged sees while sitting, the young cannot see even when on the highest tree. And in Sacred Scriptures, while the prophet Samuel thought any of Jesse’s macho sons could be God’s choice for king, God picked David who was the least regarded in the family.
Kufuor is an NPP member and a patriate of that family, which today Alan no longer belongs. Kufuor supports the party’s choice, more so in someone who helped in making his reign a success. There is no way, the old man can mention any candidate outside the NPP as one fit to be the next president.
Mind you, the NPP is his party. Obama supported Kamala because he is a Democrat. Kufuor supports Bawumia because he is NPP. Constitutionally Kufuor has rights to make choices, so why should people attack him? He is the best president Ghana ever had, who must be respected at all times. And he is human who is free to make choices.
Hon. Daniel Dugan
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Chronicle’s stance.
