Coming events, they say cast their shadows.
In August last year, before the presidential primaries kicked off, President Akufo-Addo, while addressing some party members noted that it is in the interest of party members to protect the records and achievements of the government.
According to the President, no aspirant within the government or the party can convince the Ghanaian public that he or she is different despite being a member of the “elephant family.”
“What do we gain by attacking the record of our own government? When you do that, then you become party candidate, what are you going to tell the people of Ghana? That there was Akufo-Addo who misled and mismanaged affairs and that I will be different. Even though I am NPP, I am still under Osono [elephant] sign. I am different and the people of Ghana will be that gullible. Let’s be serious,” said President Akufo-Addo.
The President, therefore, urged party communicators and sympathizers to embrace government achievements. This, he said, would ensure that Ghanaians also buy into the ideas of the government.
“Every NPP person, whoever you are, supporter of the party, it’s your duty to defend that record to ensure that the people of Ghana buy into that record,” he said.
How Bawumia’s vision for Ghana fits here
Vice President and flagbearer of the NPP, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has come under heavy criticism for suggesting that he was just in an advisory position as vice president.
He revealed that he only offered advice to the President as the head of the Economic Management Team (EMT).
Delivering his address at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) on Wednesday February 7, Dr Bawumia, flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)., said “Thankfully, I was appointed as chair of the EMT, as a sub-committee to Cabinet we do not have decision-making powers, but I am very proud of the quality of advice we have been providing over the years to Cabinet. As vice president I was asked by the president to assist in solving the problems that were inhibiting the economy. My approach was to help formalize the economy through digitalization as stated in our 2016 manifesto.”
The Economic Management Team does not have decision-making powers – Dr Bawumia
Dr. Bawumia has thus gone against the caution by President Akufo-Addo. In the address aforementioned, the sitting president promised to scrap the 10 percent betting tax, the emission levy, and the controversial electronic levy (E-levy) if he becomes president.
These are taxes that the government intends to rake so much revenue from to manage the economy until its tenure expires on January 6, 2025.
Read more:
- Bawumia from day one was against e-levy – Awal Mohammed
- This is probably the reason Akufo-Addo wasn’t at UPSA for Bawumia’s address
- Bawumia Speaks: Highlights of speech in graphics
This has provided fodder for critics who have said that Dr. Bawumia cannot dissociate himself from the country’s current economic situation.
Former President Mahama said Dr Bawumia’s claim that he only played advisory role is untenable.
“You know the situation that this economy is in. Now all those who contributed to the mess are trying to run away as if they were not part of it. People have begun saying they were not in charge; they were not listening to them and all that.
“All of them ‘de inside’, Jack Toronto and all his brothers, all of them are part of the mess we are going through. None of them can escape responsibility because they all sat in a cabinet together. Anytime they were going to borrow from the Eurobond market they approved it in the cabinet,” the NDC flagbearer said at a town hall meeting in Tamale on Thursday, February 8.
