Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has taken a subtle swipe at the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama while presenting his vision for Ghana’s future.
Speaking at his first media engagement on Sunday, August 25, Bawumia emphasized that Ghana requires an upgrade and not a reset.
“Ghana needs an upgrade, not a reset,” Bawumia remarked.
The Vice President went on to outline 14 key commitments aimed at sustaining and expanding the country’s rebounding economy, creating jobs, and building a world-class digital economy.
He said, “I’ve outlined my 14 key commitments to the Ghanaian people. These include creating new jobs, implementing wide-ranging tax reforms, reducing the cost of living, expanding public infrastructure, and providing better healthcare for all,” he stated, touching on a broad spectrum of initiatives designed to uplift Ghanaians.
The Vice President disclosed plans to expand educational opportunities, ensure good governance, boost sports, creative arts, and tourism, and strengthen border security while ensuring public safety.
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia assured that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would run a ‘campaign of ideas’ to showcase its superior vision for the country.
The NPP presidential candidate stressed his commitment to peaceful elections in December and urged all political players to avoid inflammatory rhetoric.
He said, “The quest for political power should not be an end in itself. It should be mounted on the desire to transform lives and make Ghana a better place.”
Dr. Bawumia expressed concerns over individuals in the opposition NDC who he said are using incendiary language, warning that no Ghanaian life should be sacrificed for political power.
“To those who threaten war, mayhem, and violence, my message is that this isn’t Ghanaian. Our pursuit of power must be paired with the compelling need to allow Ghanaians to continue enjoying peace,” he declared.
Bawumia invited the media to scrutinize the NPP manifesto and offer constructive criticism, noting the party’s readiness to listen to feedback.
“It is an opportunity for the media to thoroughly examine the proposals in our manifesto and offer criticisms where necessary. We are ready to listen,” he assured.
The Vice President also rebutted criticism from former president and National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer John Dramani Mahama and defended the government’s economic management and key reforms over the past eight years.
He expressed surprise at Mahama’s remarks, particularly regarding his comments on economic mismanagement.
“Sometimes I get a little surprised when the former president talks about economic mismanagement. We don’t all have short memories. His record in economic management was an abysmal one,” he stated.
Bawumia pointed to several challenges the country faced when Mahama and the NDC were in power, including the energy crisis, known locally as “dumsor,” which had crippled industries and caused significant loss of life in hospitals.
Bawumia contrasted Mahama’s administration with the progress made under the NPP, citing significant job creation and infrastructure development.
According to him, the government has created “at least 2.1 million jobs” in the last seven years, adding that this figure was based on ‘hard data.’
He also touted the government’s success in keeping the economy afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic without laying off public sector workers pointed to improvements in infrastructure, including the construction of more roads, railways, and sports facilities than any previous administration in the Fourth Republic.
