Former President John Mahama has humorously criticized Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia over a malfunction involving the newly launched electronic gates (e-Gates) at Kotoka International Airport (KIA). During a campaign event in the Ashanti Region on December 3, 2024, Mahama quipped, “The digital gate didn’t open for the digital man,” referring to Bawumia, which sparked laughter from the crowd. The joke came in the wake of a glitch with the e-Gates, which had been inaugurated just one day earlier by Bawumia as part of Ghana’s digitalization drive.
The malfunction of the e-gates, which were promoted as a key achievement in the country’s push for digital modernization, has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the Vice President’s digital agenda. Mahama seized on the opportunity to poke fun at the technology’s failure, using the incident to highlight what he sees as the flaws in the current administration's approach to digitalization.
The e-gates, which were meant to streamline airport processes and enhance passenger experience, were touted as a symbol of Ghana's technological progress. However, the glitch exposed potential issues in the implementation of such high-profile digital projects, calling into question the reliability of the systems designed to improve the country’s infrastructure.
Mahama went further to criticize the fanfare surrounding the unveiling of the e-Gates, suggesting that such technology is common at airports around the world and does not deserve extravagant celebrations. “You can do all the propaganda with digitalization you like,” Mahama remarked. “But if the fundamentals of your digitalization are weak, the digital gate will expose you.”
By highlighting the e-Gate glitch, Mahama not only mocked Bawumia but also implied that the current government’s emphasis on digitalization is superficial and may lack the depth needed for successful implementation. The incident has further fueled debate about the progress and challenges of Ghana’s digital transformation, with critics questioning whether the government is focusing on the right priorities and adequately addressing the underlying issues.
Mahama’s remarks underscore the political tensions surrounding digitalization efforts, as he uses the e-Gate malfunction to critique the administration’s digital policies and highlight what he sees as its shortcomings.
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