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24.04.2018 Feature Article

Take Your Time To Do Proper Analysis, Franklin Cudjoe

Franklin CudjoeFranklin Cudjoe
24.04.2018 LISTEN

One of the most absurd and weirdest analysis I have come across in recent times in this country is the one made by Franklin Cudjoe, the president of Imani on the 998 workers at the Presidency. According to him, the 998 workers at the Presidency as compared to the 678 (2013) under the reign of ex-President Mahama shows that John Mahama is a frugal saint. Franklin, frankly, he was not, but rather profligate; but let me tell you that President Akufo-Addo, for now is frugal and better manager of the national kitty as compared to former President Mahama per your own analysis. I will prove it shortly. Again, you failed to provide a single convincing argument to support your claim that John Mahama is frugal, and your own analysis betrays you. In fact, your assertion is spurious, absurd and weird. Why?

You claim President Mahama budgeted for GHS 3 billion (Main & supplementary budgets) in 2016 and ended up spending GHS 6.1 billion. And you call this frugality? No, it is rather profligacy. You said Akufo-Addo made provision of GHS 1.5 billion in the 2017 budget for the 998 workers, and also admitted that you do not know how much was spent at the end of the fiscal year, yet John Mahama is more frugal than him.

Where is the logic and analytical strength in your submission. Per the available evidence and your own established facts, is Akufo-Addo not a better manager of our resources than John Mahama? One person budgeted for GHS 1.5 billion, and another GHS 3 billion, and ended up spending GHS 6.1 billion, and you strangely conclude the one who spent the GHS 6.1 billion is more frugal. What spurious analysis is this? I will advice you, as I do at times to others, that before you write, do not be in a hurry, take your time to reflect, and do so deeply.

Again, you only looked at the size of the figure to conclude that it represents waste, wow! But, sadly, you could not provide a modicum of evidence to explain the waste you alluded to. I concede the 998 workers is the highest in relation to known figures, that is the about 740 in 1999, 692 in 2005, 678 in 2013, 692 in 2014. We still do not know the ones in 2015 and 2016. How can a reduction of the fiscal deficit from about 9% in 2016 to 4.5% (September 2017) represent a waste? How can a GDP growth from 3.5% in 2016 to 7.9% in 2017 represent waste? How can an increase in our international reserves from $4.8 billion in 2016 to $6.9 billion in 2017 represent waste? Even in your analysis, it appears you used the 2013 figure of 678 to compare that of 2017 which is troubling, worrying and wrong. You don't do that in critical analysis. You stood on feeble knees by going that tangent. You assumed that that figure is the exact one as at end 2016, thus concluding falsely. Please, tell us the staff strength at the presidency in 2016.

I respect your opinion, I sincerely do; but I think you got it wrong bigtime on this. Next time, hasten slowly, situate your arguments convincingly in grounded facts before you expose yourself to needless public ridicule.

God bless Ghana!
Dr. Kingsley Nyarko
(Executive Director, Danquah Institute)

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