When the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), led by John Dramani Mahama, ran its campaign against then-Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, they launched relentless propaganda, blaming him for every economic challenge Ghana faced.
The NDC, with the support of sections of the media and some civil society actors, pushed the argument that if Dr. Bawumia had the solutions to Ghana’s problems, he should have implemented them while serving as Vice President. They deliberately ignored the constitutional fact that a Vice President is not the ultimate decision-maker but rather an assistant to the President.
2) We in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) made it clear during our campaign that the Vice President does not have executive powers to implement policies. However, Ghanaians, influenced by the NDC’s false narratives, blamed Dr. Bawumia for policies they found unfavorable, including the E-Levy, betting tax, and other economic measures.
The opposition painted a picture that sought to make Dr. Bawumia solely responsible for all economic difficulties, ignoring the reality that all decisions of government are taken by the President with the approval of the Cabinet and Dr. Bawumia as an individual can’t protest a decision of cabinet backed by majority.
3) Fast forward to today, after the NDC has assumed power, their own Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, has admitted an undeniable truth. In a parliamentary session, he boldly stated,
“Everyone in government, including Cabinet, is an advisor. Only the President takes decisions.”
4) This single statement from Mahama Ayariga exposes the NDC’s deception and hypocrisy. It confirms exactly what Dr. Bawumia had always maintained; that the Vice President, just like every Cabinet minister, only plays an advisory role, and ultimate decisions rest with the President.
5) So, the question I asked, Why did the NDC deceive Ghanaians into believing that Dr. Bawumia was responsible for all economic hardships when he was only an advisor? If the NDC had any integrity, they would apologize to Dr. Bawumia and the people of Ghana for their deceitful propaganda. But the NDC has no shame. Now that they are in power, they are conveniently admitting the truth they once denied simply because it suits their new reality.
6) Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is a man of intelligence, vision, and competence. Throughout his tenure as Vice President, he brought innovative ideas to governance, spearheading digitization, financial inclusion, and several economic initiatives. However, due to political mischief, his efforts were downplayed, and he was unfairly made the scapegoat for challenges that were ultimately the responsibility of the President.
7) Now, as Mahama Ayariga has unintentionally confessed, Ghanaians must reflect on how they were misled. Dr. Bawumia was judged unfairly, but history has vindicated him. His track record of intelligence, policy innovation, and economic expertise remains unmatched.
8) The NDC may have succeeded in deceiving Ghanaians to win power, but the truth has finally been revealed, Dr. Bawumia was never the problem. He was simply an intelligent statesman caught in the web of political propaganda.
9) Our friends @ Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and so-called neutral commentators who shamelessly joined the NDC’s propaganda machine now have eggs on their faces. They unconscionably teamed up against an innocent man, fueling baseless accusations and misleading Ghanaians into believing that Dr. Bawumia was solely responsible for the country’s economic challenges.
10) NPP communicators, this is exactly what you should be articulating to the ordinary Ghanaian at Makola Market, Kejetia Market, The Spare Parts dealer at Abossey Okai and beyond those who were misled into believing that Dr. Bawumia was the reason their money was deducted through E-Levy and, as a result, possibly voted against him.
They must now understand that it was all propaganda, and the NDC itself has confirmed that only the President takes final decisions. But unfortunately, it looks as if the NPP’s communication is in total shambles. Instead of aggressively countering these falsehoods and setting the record straight, many communicators are failing to drive this simple message on Airways.
