We fought poverty with wealth creation – Kufuor

Former President J. A. Kufuor, says when he was Head of State of Ghana, his government fought poverty with wealth creation.

Speaking to the CNN in an interview, he said, encouraging the private sector has been key to fighting poverty in Ghana.

“We fight poverty with wealth creation, otherwise it’s charity, and that’s not what we came into government for,” he said.

Kufuor became president in 2001 after winning one of the country’s historic and peaceful elections and served for two four-year terms as laid down by the country’s 1992 Constitution. Kufuor handed over power to the current President John Atta Mills who won a closely contested election in December 2008.

Touching on his government’s focus on the private sector as the engine of growth he said “to us, the private sector was the touchstone for the country to move ahead. And so we needed to get the private sector to access credits, and on that basis there would be investments.”

Asked if he thinks that Ghanaians have had a taste of a stable, growing economy, that they won’t let go of that? That there’s now a permanent change in Ghana’s economic culture so things won’t go back to the way they used to be? They will respect transparency?

He answered “I believe these things you are talking about are becoming more and more global. Everywhere, people want to be included in governance. And people have found their voices, people’s power is becoming the reality.” Adding, “I just hope Ghanaians will cherish these rights to keep their successive governments on their course, so then they will continue to enjoy sustained, good governance.”

Former President Kufuor announced the discovery of oil in commercial quantities in June 2007 and the country began commercial production on December 15, 2010.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi