Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, founder and leader of the Movement for Change, has expressed the seriousness with the Vice President saying he had no control over the jurisdiction under his purview in this administration.
He says it is inappropriate for the Vice President to dissociate himself from the failures of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) administration, since he was specifically given certain aspects of the economy to handle.
According to him, the Vice President’s office is a component of the presidency, and cannot be treated in isolation like the office of a minister.
Considering what is perceived to be the area of the Vice President’s competence, Alan Kyerematen says things do not add up for him to say he was not in control.
“If that were the case, then it’s a very serious matter that you’re the Vice President and you didn’t have either the power or the control of what you had been asked to undertake, then it doesn’t add up,” he said on TV3 Monday, July 01, 2024,.
His comments follow a pronouncement by the Vice President likening himself to a driver’s mate who only carries out instructions by the driver, in his case, the President, and should therefore not be blamed for the failures of the administration.
The Vice President who is the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) says, if he is voted into power as President, that is when the buck will stop at him, unlike it is currently.
During the commencement of his address to outline his vision for Ghana, should he becomes President, at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) Wednesday, February 07, 2024, Dr. Bawumia said “as Vice President, I am a driver’s mate, but if you vote for me, I’ll take the driver’s seat.”
But the former Trade and Industry Minister had an advice for Dr. Bawumia.
“Unfortunately I don’t think that he can [dissociate himself] and my advice to my younger brother and former colleague is that, he ought not to be making those comments. We were all in government and to be fair to the current President, they gave the Vice President all the authority to direct the economic governance of our country, of course in collaboration with ministers. But the way I see the presidency, the presidency is one ticket and it’s President and Vice President.
“The Vice President is not like a minister and particularly when so much power is vested in the Vice President because of what is perceived to be his area of competence, then I don’t think it is appropriate for the Vice President, knowing exactly the control that he had and contribution he made for him now to say that he was not or he is not [in charge],” he stated.
