FLASHBACK: NPP is a more sensible party - IMANI Ghana

President of IMANI Ghana, Franklin Cudjoe, in 2012, wrote on his Facebook wall that the NPP was a more sensible party when it comes to dealing with dissent. He added that the NDC who were in power at the time were aimed at feeding lies, invectives and propaganda about IMANI and other think tanks.

“Folks, let me be brutally frank with you, that the NPP is a more sensible party when it comes to dealing with dissent, at least intellectual dissent.”

Read the full story originally published on November 29, 2012, on Ghanaweb

The Founding Director of IMANI Ghana, Franklin Cudjoe, has taken a swipe at the governing party for what he says is the incessant verbal attacks on officials of the think-tank.

Mr. Cudjoe Thursday morning posted on his Facebook wall that instead of the National Democratic Congress addressing issues raised by IMANI, they consistently pour unwarranted invectives on the think-tank.

IMANI Ghana, this week, released a report on the state of institutions in the country warning that if urgent action is not taken, the next President and government will be faced with a situation where virtually all the urgently needed major reforms will be stuck in a ditch.

“Over the last five years, this country has seen the most dramatic and frightening slow-down in the reform effort over the last three decades,” the report said.

Some pro-NDC commentators subsequently chided IMANI Ghana for wishing the downfall of the government, but the president of the think-tank, Franklyn Cudjoe seemed to have been ruffled by these comments.

A post on Mr Cudjoe’s Facebook wall chanced upon by RadioXYZonline.com said: “Folks, let me be brutally frank with you, that the NPP is a more sensible party when it comes to dealing with dissent, at least intellectual dissent.”

Mr. Cudjoe said he is not privy to any insult directed at IMANI Ghana by the NPP after the think-tank fervidly took on the main opposition party’s free education policy.

“I DO NOT RECALL A SINGLE INSULT OF IMANI WHEN WE VEHEMENTLY TOOK ON THE NPP ON THEIR FLAGSHIP PROGRAMME, THE FREE SECONDARY SCHOOL PROMISE. WE COMMISSIONED 6 MAJOR ARTICLES AND REPORTS AND SPOKE ON OVER 30 RADIO AND TV STATIONS. INSTEAD THEY CALLED US TO UNDERSTAND OUR DISSENT AND ASK FOR GUIDANCE WHILST STATING OUR MAIN OPPOSITION TO THE FREE SHS PROJECT.” (highlighted by Franklyn Cudjoe).

“However, the NDC is just a constant fouler. Instead of dealing with intellectual analysis, the main communication bandwagon is simply aimed at feeding lies, invectives and propaganda about IMANI and other think tanks,” Mr. Cudjoe added.

Mr Cudjoe said IMANI will not be coerced into offering praise to anyone who is undeserving of such acclaim, adding that “the government pays many people, academics, journalists and agencies to praise them, so any think tank that indulges in praise singing would really be adding no value.”