Nana Ohene Ntow, a former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has dismissed suggestions that Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia should not be blamed for Ghana’s current economic state. Ntow, now a leading member of Alan Kyerematen’s Movement for Change, made these remarks in an interview on Peace FM.
According to Ntow, Dr. Bawumia was chosen as the party’s vice-presidential candidate in 2007 primarily for his economic expertise. President Akufo-Addo and former President John Agyekum Kufuor supported his candidacy, believing Bawumia could fix the economy.
“President Akufo-Addo told the NPP and later Ghanaians that ‘I’m pleading with you, let me bring Dr. Bawumia because he is the one who can fix the economy and make it boom.’ We initially refused because he was not a party member. But President Kufuor insisted we choose Bawumia, warning we would regret it if the economy failed under our watch,” Ntow recounted.
Ntow criticized Dr. Bawumia for shifting his focus to digitalization instead of addressing the country’s economic issues. “Today, Dr. Bawumia runs away when we talk about the economy. He has taken a small section, digitalization. Digitalization is important, but it is not the whole economy,” Ntow said.
He pointed out that Bawumia’s economic promises during the 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020 elections did not materialize. “If you listen to Dr. Bawumia’s own pronouncements during the campaigns and compare them to the results, and someone tells me that he is a new factor, I find it very difficult to accept,” Ntow added.
Ntow also criticized President Akufo-Addo for delegating the economy’s management to Bawumia for two terms without significant results. “Ghanaians would also say that President Akufo-Addo told us that he is not an economist and was delegating the economy’s running to Bawumia, and we would see wonders. He gave it to him not for one year, not two years, but for eight years – we saw nothing, and you want another four years?”
These comments come amid growing dissatisfaction with Ghana’s economic performance. The country faces challenges including high inflation, rising public debt, and unemployment. Many Ghanaians are questioning the effectiveness of the current economic policies.
Ntow’s remarks highlight the internal divisions within the NPP and the pressure on the party to address economic concerns. As the 2024 elections approach, economic performance will be a key issue for voters.
Source: Ghana Web
