Dr. Arthur Kobina Kennedy, a prominent member of Ghana’s New Patriotic Party (NPP), has sharply criticized President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s performance, calling him “the worst president” in the country’s Fourth Republic.
Speaking on TV3’s Key Points on Saturday, November 30, Dr. Kennedy argued that Akufo-Addo’s tenure has negatively impacted the presidential campaign of NPP’s candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. He claimed that the president’s poor performance had become a “burden” for Dr. Bawumia.
Professor Ransford Gyampo of the University of Ghana echoed similar sentiments, accusing Akufo-Addo of squandering the goodwill he initially garnered from the public. Gyampo expressed that the president had deceived Ghanaians by promising change but failing to deliver. “Akufo-Addo deceived all Ghanaians into thinking that he was something that he isn’t,” Gyampo remarked, adding that the president had dissipated the trust he had earned upon assuming office.
The focus of criticism also turned to the controversial National Cathedral Project, with North Tongu lawmaker Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa accusing the president of misleading the eminent clergymen who served on the Board of Trustees. Ablakwa called for Akufo-Addo to be held accountable for the failure of the project, arguing that the president should personally repay the $58 million spent on the cathedral, as well as compensate for further damages caused by the stalled project.
“The eminent clergymen were deceived by Akufo-Addo,” Ablakwa said, stressing that “everything begins and ends at the doorstep of Akufo-Addo.” He also demanded that salaries paid to the Board of Trustees be immediately stopped, given the lack of progress on the project over the last 30 months. “A project which has come to a halt for 38 months, and the board is still receiving salaries?” he questioned, expressing sympathy for the clergymen caught up in the debacle.
The criticism was amplified following the release of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) report on the National Cathedral, which recommended the cancellation of the construction contract due to violations of public procurement laws. CHRAJ found that the contract awarded to Ribade Company Ltd. was illegal and called for further investigations and possible prosecution of the Board of Trustees who were involved in the decision-making process.
Ablakwa described the CHRAJ report as “damning” and insisted that the $58 million spent on the project should be refunded, calling it “an illegality.” He also cited the potential international embarrassment for Ghana, given the disregard for procurement laws. “This is a very damning report,” he said, commenting on the scandal surrounding the cathedral, a project which has sparked significant public division over the years. Many have criticized the use of taxpayer funds for the project, particularly given its lack of progress and mounting costs.
President Akufo-Addo’s promise to build the National Cathedral, a symbolic gesture to honor God, has faced widespread opposition from both political figures and the general public. The project has stalled due to a lack of funding, leading to accusations of mismanagement and dishonesty. Despite the mounting criticism, the government has not yet provided a clear path forward for the completion of the controversial structure.
