Former President John Dramani Mahama launched a blistering attack on Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia over the latter's touted drive for digital transformation in Ghana. At a rally in Kumasi, Mahama threw jabs at Bawumia, saying, "The digital gate didn't open for the digital man," and meaning that Bawumia, who is touted as one of the chief architects of the government's digital programs, has failed to live up to the promise made under the "digital agenda."
A comment by Mahama comes amidst growing discontent with the impact the government's digitalization drive, touted as one of the hallmarks of the current administration, has on the country. This includes the introduction of the digital property addressing system, paperless port operations, and digital financial services, all designed at increasing efficiency and transparency in service delivery.
However, critics argue that the projects have not realized their full potential. Mahama, seeking to return to power in the general elections scheduled for 2024, referred to the general frustrations among Ghanaians where the digital systems have not been able to make a difference in their everyday lives. He pinpointed issues such as network failures, inability to easily access government services online, and the continued inefficiencies in main sectors such as education and health, which digitization was supposed to address.
Mahama painted a picture of overpromise and underdelivery by the government in his speech, particularly in the digital realm. "While Dr. Bawumia's push for a 'digitized' Ghana was to revolutionize service delivery, many Ghanaians are still waiting for the benefits. The so-called 'digital revolution' hasn't materialized in ways to improve ordinary citizens' lives," Mahama said.
Vice-President Bawumia has been the face of this government's digital push, and has received praise and criticism in equal measure. Despite criticisms from every quarter, the Vice-President remains a big cog in the wheels of the ruling New Patriotic Party's bid for the impending elections.
Mahama’s remarks serve to highlight the political tensions ahead of the 2024 elections, as both major parties vie for the support of Ghanaians disillusioned with the current state of the economy and public services.
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