What notable persons, political groups have said about Kufuor's interview with Delay

The December 7, 2025, interview between former President John Agyekum Kufuor and celebrated broadcaster Deloris Frimpong Manso, popularly known as Delay, has generated widespread reactions across Ghana’s political and social landscape.

During the candid conversation, the former president reflected on his years in office, offering insights into his leadership style, achievements, and challenges.

He also commented on aspects of the past administration of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

One of the most discussed remarks came from when Kufuor addressed the controversial National Cathedral project as well as the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).

He stated that he was never consulted on the initiatives, and criticised the way they were handled.

According to him, the project (National Cathedral) was initially presented as a privately funded effort, but later shifted to state funding, leading to the demolition of existing government buildings.

He stated that such decisions contributed to the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) electoral setbacks.

Following his comments, some notable persons have reacted.

This GhanaWeb article will highlight some of the notable voices who have responded to Kufuor’s interview with Delay.

National Democratic Congress, NDC

The NDC described former President John Agyekum Kufuor’s comments as rare but an important admission of governance failures under the New Patriotic Party led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

In a statement signed by the Deputy National Communications Officer, Ako Gunn, the NDC said former President Kufuor's reflections confirm what the party has long asserted, that the Akufo-Addo administration was marked by arrogance, poor judgement, and reckless management of the state.

According to the statement, former President Kufuor acknowledged that the NPP rode on the legacy of his administration to win power in 2016 but later abandoned prudent policies and implemented decisions that worsened the living conditions of Ghanaians.

The NDC highlighted Kufuor's claim of being sidelined on major national decisions, including the disputed National Cathedral project, the controversial Domestic Debt Exchange programme, and scandals such as the one about the Power Distribution Services (PDS).

Ellen Ama Daaku

An aide to former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Ellen Ama Daaku, has also responded to the former president’s interview.

According to Ama Daaku, no administration, including that of former President Kufuor, meets every expectation, and his time in office was not without its own challenges.

Speaking on Accra-based Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana, she explained that President Kufuor governed according to his convictions and the circumstances of his era, noting that “he had his time, and not everything went perfectly under his leadership.

"He (Kufuor) is not supposed to agree with every decision that the former president (Akufo-Addo) made. He had his time; he did it. Nana Addo Dankwa also had his presidency; he had his time. We are going to evaluate every one of them by their deeds and their work. I believe that Kufuor did well for himself. Fifteen years down the line, we are all looking at what he did for us as Ghanaians, and we appreciate it. Was everything okay during his regime? No. Did he have issues? Yes. He doesn't have to agree with everything that Nana Addo did."

Akwasi Addai Odike

Next on the list is Akwasi Addai Odike, the Founder and Leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP).

He criticised the former president over his comments about the administration of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

According to Odike, Kufuor has no grounds to blame Akufo-Addo because he is also part of the challenges the country is currently facing.

Speaking in an interview on Angel TV on December 9, 2025, Odike stated that Kufuor had the responsibility to question Akufo-Addo on some of his decisions but failed to do so and, therefore, should not be criticising him now.

"To be honest with you, I have learnt two things from what Kufuor said. The first is that he wants to tell us that the NPP is not an organized party but we know that a political party is a group of people who have come together with one ideology and a common interest,” he stated.

Haruna Mohammed

Finally, the New Patriotic Party’s Deputy General Secretary, Haruna Iddrisu, has also reacted to former President Kufuor’s interview, backing his remarks, particularly those concerning the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).

According to him, the former president’s observations merely echoed realities that senior government officials, including the immediate past President Nana Akufo-Addo have already acknowledged.

"Former President Kufuor spoke the obvious. What he said is not different from the facts. Even President Akufo-Addo himself has said that the DDEP was a very difficult decision for him," Haruna Mohammed stated.

He noted that Kufuor's comments were not an indictment but a fair reflection of the economic turbulence that followed the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Mohammed, Kufuor's broader context was that the Akufo-Addo administration performed strongly until the onset of COVID-19, which triggered global economic shocks.

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