Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has observed that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is his rightful successor who will continue with his good works to improve the lives of Ghanaians.
He said that the good projects that he (Kufuor) started, including the numerous social intervention programmes, were abandoned by his immediate successors – Prof Atta Mills and John Dramani Mahama.
As a result of the poor leadership style of the Mills-Mahama administrations, former President Kufuor observed that the country could not develop rapidly during the eight-year tenure of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to him, Ghana could have made giant strides in terms of proper infrastructural development and economic growth, if Nana Akufo-Addo had succeeded him as president in 2009.
Mr Kufuor said that Ghana’s growth stagnated when he left office because his successors were not proactive leaders.
“I started a good work by introducing several social intervention programmes to tame poverty and also bring about jobs and wealth creation so that our people would live comfortable lives.
“But sadly, there was some interference, with regards to the ‘Promised Land,’ where I was directing Ghana to when I left political office in 2009. Those who came after me didn’t have the same vision.
“Their mismanagement hampered the social intervention programmes that I introduced to accelerate Ghana’s development and improve the lives of the masses; they were abandoned,” former President Kufuor bemoaned.
The Kufuor administration introduced several social intervention programmes such as National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Metro Mass Bus Transit (MMT), School Feeding programme, among others.
Speaking at the 68th Annual Speech and Prize-Giving Day celebration of Prempeh College in Kumasi on Sunday, Mr Kufuor – an ‘old boy’ of the school – said the country could have benefitted from a lot more social intervention programmes to improve the lives of the citizenry if President Akufo-Addo had succeeded him in 2009.
“My heart is at peace now that Nana Akufo-Addo is the president because I know he will revive my social intervention programmes and even introduce more positive policies.
Showering praises on the current Ghanaian leader, Mr. Kufuor stated that he shares similar traits with Nana Addo.
Mr Kufuor described the recently-introduced Free Senior High School (SHS) policy as a laudable social intervention programme introduced by Nana Akufo-Addo after only a few months in office.
Touching on other issues, Mr Kufuor stressed the need for Ghanaian youth, especially students, to exhibit good morals so that they will become good leaders after their studies.
President Akufo-Addo, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh (Napo), Education Minister; Ministers of State; Members of Parliament (MPs); old students; parents and guardians, among others, attended the event.
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Daily Guide/Ghana
