Policy analyst and think tank leader Franklin Cudjoe has launched a scathing attack on critics of the government’s handling of the cocoa and energy sectors, accusing members of the previous administration of ‘wickedness and ‘greed’ while calling for accountability over Ghana’s economic challenges.
In a strongly worded statement issued this week, the President of IMANI Africa said the national debate on the crisis facing the cocoa regulator and the power distributor has been hijacked by ‘noisy and uncouth’ political actors who ‘squandered’ public funds during their time in office.
According to Cudjoe, it is deeply ironic that individuals linked to past mismanagement are now demanding financial relief for farmers and consumers.
Also read: Gov’t pushes bold gold plan to build economic ‘war chest’ by 2028
The Cocoa-ECG irony
Cudjoe’s intervention draws attention to a striking financial comparison highlighted by social commentator Neenyi Ayirebi-Acquah. He noted that cumulative losses recorded by the Electricity Company of Ghana between 2021 and 2024 amount to about GH¢27.6 billion.
This figure, he argued, is almost equal to the GH¢30 billion working capital the government is currently seeking to mobilise to stabilise the Ghana Cocoa Board.
“It’s hard not to see the irony,” Cudjoe said. “And yet, the noisy communicators of that perilous and wicked era are jumping from one media house to another, asking for relief to farmers from funds they dissipated with the force of greed.”
He stressed that the country is now paying the price for years of financial mismanagement in both the energy and cocoa sectors.
Criticism of former political a
ctors
Without naming individuals, Cudjoe accused members of the former administration and their communication teams of distorting public discourse to escape responsibility for Ghana’s fiscal difficulties.
He argued that many of those currently criticising the government belong to the previous ruling establishment, which he blamed for weakening state institutions and depleting public resources.
“These are the same people who presided over massive losses and are now pretending to be champions of farmers and consumers,” he said.
The analyst insisted that genuine reform must begin with honesty and accountability.
Call to end ‘slow motion’ justice
Beyond the cocoa and energy sectors, Cudjoe expressed frustration with what he described as the slow pace of justice in corruption-related cases involving former officials.
He recalled that some members of the previous government had challenged the current administration to ‘take them to court or shut up.’ Still, he said, state institutions appear reluctant to act decisively.
“I agree with them,” he stated. “There is so much slow motion, and the courts are playing along. Too many crooks are walking about freely.”
Cudjoe warned that Ghana’s international image and investor confidence are being damaged by perceptions of weak accountability.
“The Ghanaian brand was destroyed by a period of looting where officials ate our food and forgot our names,” he added.
Don’t cede the space
The IMANI boss also urged citizens to play a more active role in shaping national conversations, warning against allowing partisan communicators to dominate the media space.
He criticised what he called ‘educated illiterate’ political communication teams, accusing them of misleading the public and lowering the quality of debate.
“We pay taxes and employ them. Why should we allow some noisy communication team members to seize the space and misbehave?” he asked. “Please do not cede your space to them.”
Cudjoe encouraged professionals, civil society groups, and ordinary taxpayers to demand higher standards from political leaders.
Background
Cudjoe’s comments come amid heightened political tension over government plans to rescue COCOBOD from financial distress. The package reportedly includes salary cuts for senior executives and the transfer of billions of cedis in road-related debt to the Ministry of Finance.
The reforms are intended to prevent the collapse of the cocoa regulator and restore confidence in the sector, which supports millions of farmers nationwide.
The ruling National Democratic Congress administration has defended the measures as necessary to stabilise the economy and protect livelihoods.
As debates over COCOBOD and ECG intensify, Franklin Cudjoe’s remarks have added fresh fuel to the political discourse, reviving questions about responsibility, transparency, and justice.