Franklin Cudjoe, the Founder and President of IMANI Ghana, has made a pointed declaration that he will decline any invitation to join government committees or boards if the administration cannot commit to implementing evidence-based recommendations.
In a strongly worded statement posted on social media, Mr Cudjoe said he would never have agreed to sit on the board of the controversial National Cathedral project, which has been under scrutiny since its inception in 2020.
The project, which has drawn criticism from various quarters over issues ranging from its timing to the transparency of its funding, has so far received GHS 339 million from the government as of July 2024, according to the Ministry of Finance.
Mr Cudjoe’s comments reflect a broader frustration with the management of public resources and governance in the country.
Recounting his experience with the previous NDC administration, Mr Cudjoe highlighted his involvement in a committee under the NDC government that was tasked with weaning subvented government agencies off the public payroll.
He revealed that he had briefly resigned from the committee to protest interference from then Finance Minister Seth Terkper. He, however, rejoined only after personal appeals from senior officials, including the then Minister for Employment and Labour Relations. The committee ultimately delivered significant cost savings, reportedly freeing up nearly GHS 220 million in public funds.
However, Mr Cudjoe was critical of the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) government for failing to build on these efforts after taking office in 2017. He lamented what he described as a bloated public sector, with key ministries and agencies filled with “private sector finance folks and mentees” of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, many of whom are on lucrative salary packages.
Mr Cudjoe also disclosed his role on the Foreign Exchange Development Committee, established under the NPP government. While he joined the committee out of respect for the former finance minister, he expressed disappointment in its outcomes, describing many of its recommendations as “standard and publicly available information.”
The committee, which was tasked with advising on foreign exchange market dynamics, Mr Cudjoe averred, met infrequently and had little measurable impact, as evidenced by the continued depreciation of the Ghanaian cedi against major international currencies.
He emphasized that the path to stabilizing the cedi lies in structural economic reform rather than short-term measures, calling for policies aimed at enhancing productivity, reducing the cost of doing business, and tackling corruption.
Also, a leaner and more efficient public sector, he argued, is key to driving long-term economic growth and stability.
“That said me, Lord Cudjoe or FC, will never accept any president or minister’s invitation to sit on the committee or board if they can’t commit to taking well-researched advice,” he wrote on Facebook.
Source:norvanreports.com