According to Issaka Amon Kotei, a local governance expert, President Akufo-Addo has messed up the country despite assuring the people of sterling leadership.
The environmentalist noted that the election of President Akufo-Addo had sent Ghana into reverse.
”We voted for President Akufo-Addo with the expectation that he would provide better leadership, but over the course of his presidency, he has sent Ghana backward. What are the actual benefits that Ghanaians have received as a result of voting for him?”
Kotei stated that almost every aspect of the economy has suffered under Akufo-Addo.
Speaking on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, he said the education sector under Akufo-Addo has faced several challenges with how solutions are available to address them.
He particularly slammed President Akufo-Addo for approving the decision to have the Ghana Revenue Authority collect property rates, something he noted was to be done by Assemblies.
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has dismissed as false suggestions made by the Chamber for Local Governance (ChaLOG) in a May 31, 2023 statement that property rates can only be collected by the District.
It stated that Section 124 of Act 936, as cited by the ChaLOG, addressed district assembly revenue but made no mention of district assemblies collecting revenue on their own.
According to a GRA statement, the same section said nothing about the Metropolitan, Municipal, and Districts Assemblies (MMDAs) not allowing other state agencies to assist them in the collection of internally generated funds, such as property rates.
Kotei, on the other hand, stated that the decision approved by the President and his cabinet would result in the loss of several jobs.
”What is the point? Why should the GRA collect property rates, take 70%, and only give 30% to the Assemblies? And the President signed off on it?”Do you want the district assemblies to function properly or to fail if you approve this as president? Workers in charge of revenue collection would be laid off.”
”The second reason I said Nana Addo had destroyed Ghana is that only 20% of all existing projects are GoG projects. The remainder are foreign-aid projects. You claim the economy is in a slump and you can’t pay back loans, someone brings you money, keeps working on projects for you, and then you tell the person you can’t pay them back. Will they continue to work on these projects? People are not Father Christmas. So, if I say he destroyed Ghana, these are some of my justifications,” he added.