Akufo-Addo Insulted Us – Franklin Cudjoe

The founding President of think tank IMANI Africa, Mr Franklin Cudjoe, has described President Akufo-Addo’s remarks he made about civil society organisations at the meet the press hosted at the Jubliee House on December 19 as insulting.

During the Q&A session, the President said a lot of the allegations and criticisms hurled at him and his government by CSOs and the Minority, lacked substance.

Responding to that comment, Mr Cudjoe Said: “John Mahama said we were purposeless lamentators. By the time he realised, he could only say he suffered from the paradox of exposure. He has since been remorseful”.

“You, Nana President, we were the ones keeping the NDC government on its toes when you had all your internal fights for nearly two years when you were in opposition.

“We met you to brief you about the state of affairs at your invitation.

“Today, we are only saying and doing what we did under the NDC and you say we are worse than what you used to admire and quote copiously from?

“So, all CSOs and think tanks are worrying you, and by extension, emboldening your ministers and party people to deal with us ruthlessly huh, as many are doing huh?

“I never thought you could actually INSULT US.

“Mr President, I can only say thank you.

“But we have seen all of these before. We will be here serving Ghana. Do your part and we shall do ours. After all, we pay you and your ministers to work for us. It is not the other way around. Merry Christmas to you all the same”, Mr Cudjoe said.

The Imani boss also told Accra-based Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday that: “It sounded to me like we were listening to a communist”, in reference to the president’s comments.

Also, Vice-President of Imani, Kofi Bentil, described Mr Akufo-Addo’s swipe at CSOs as “sad, disrespectful, and counterproductive”. “It’s such a mistake to see CSOs as a negative, it only brings you trouble!”.