18 hours ago
At the recent 'Bawumia for Jobs' rally, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Ghana's Vice President and New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, addressed strong critiques of former President John Dramani Mahama, emphasizing economic concerns, job creation, and Mahama's administration record.
Bawumia claimed that Mahama's government fostered an atmosphere that made unemployment worse by implementing policies and occurrences like the "dumsor" energy crisis, which resulted in job losses in industries that were highly dependent on reliable electricity. In contrast, he emphasized his own contribution to the NPP's employment-generating and economic-strengthening initiatives, such as the 2.1 million jobs that were reportedly created in the public and private sectors, as well as infrastructure upgrades and social programs like the Free Senior High School policy. Bawumia claims that these programs show a proactive attitude to job development and assistance for Ghanaians, in contrast to Mahama's leadership style, which he characterized as less solution-focused and reactionary.
The Vice President also responded to Mahama's earlier remarks, in which, when asked about creating employment, Mahama said he was "not a magician." Bawumia framed this reaction as representative of what he called Mahama's lack of vision and responsibility for the economic hardships Ghanaians endured throughout his rule. Supporters of the NPP, including Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, also joined the criticism by highlighting Bawumia's initiatives to use digitization to generate possibilities and offering remedies to deal with the challenges of the economy, including rising gasoline costs.
Bawumia also demanded responsibility and openness from the NDC, particularly with relation to their economic management. Bawumia attempted to frame the upcoming election as a choice between proactive governance under the NPP and a return to what he claimed were ineffective policies under Mahama's leadership by drawing a comparison between his accomplishments and what he described as Mahama's inadequate responses to Ghana's economic issues.
The event's tone highlighted the political tension as Ghana prepares for the 2024 elections, with Bawumia presenting himself as a leader who can address the country's economic problems, especially those related to job creation and technological growth.