Kufuor urges politicians to acknowledge development efforts of previous governments
Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has called on political leaders to refrain from disregarding or undermining the developmental projects initiated by previous administrations.
He emphasised the importance of acknowledging the continuity in governance and the contributions of past governments to the nation’s progress.
Addressing a group of journalists on Sunday, November 17, Mr Kufuor criticised the tendency of successive governments to claim exclusive credit for national achievements, while often ignoring the foundations laid by their predecessors.
He insisted that recognising the efforts of past administrations is crucial for fostering unity and advancing Ghana’s development.
The former President stressed that taking sole credit for progress merely to score political points is a short-sighted approach, as it disregards the collective effort required to drive national development.
He urged political leaders to adopt a more collaborative mindset, acknowledging that governance is a continuous process.
Mr Kufuor warned that failing to recognise the contributions of previous governments could hinder the country’s overall progress, as it encourages a divisive political culture.
He called for a spirit of cooperation and a focus on building on the achievements of past administrations to ensure sustained growth and stability for Ghana.
“They claim we didn’t put up any university, but if you take the University of Development Studies, even though it was started for the late JJ Rawlings, go and ask who developed the place in terms of infrastructure. The hostels in Tamale were put up by my administration, the Navrongo and Wa campus were all developed by us.”
“But it is all in the name of UDS. Because I took infrastructure there, should I say I was the one who started the school? That is not how we should go about it. But our opponents are making such claims. They all want to make people believe that everything was started and implemented by them.”
“We have major developments in Legon, KNUST, UCC and others. I even took some businesses, including banks, to develop tertiary campuses, but that does not mean Kufuor started those schools. When we continue like that, it will not help the country.”
“It only creates a situation where a new government will neglect the projects of its opponent because it wants to also prove that it did something. I think we should stop all these for the benefit of the country,” he urged.
