The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has refuted claims of being compelled to select Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as its first non-Akan flagbearer for the 2024 election, dismissing the notion that the party’s Akan-dominated image influenced the decision.
Henry Nana Boakye, the National Organizer of the NPP, emphasized in an interview that party delegates regarded the Vice President as the party’s strongest contender for the upcoming 2024 election.
He stressed that the Vice President had a personality that had won him the position.
“First of all, we need to understand that his persona, his ability to woo people to himself also worked. Over the years, he has also sacrificed a lot. He had to put aside his profession and join and be a running mate for almost 12 years before becoming the Vice President. The fact that he is non-Akan, he is Muslim from the northern part of Ghana is historical, but this isn’t the first time we have had a northerner contesting.”
Henry Nana Boakye
More so, Dr. Bawumia’s campaign team is actively strategizing a detailed plan for the Vice President to embark on a nationwide tour to convey his message to the Ghanaian populace. Additionally, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has committed to incorporating the blue economy as a significant component of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) manifesto for the forthcoming general election.
On November 4, 2023, Dr. Bawumia emerged victorious in the NPP’s internal contest, triumphing over Kennedy Agyapong, the outspoken Assin Central MP, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the former Minister for Agriculture, and former Mampong MP, Francis Addai-Nimoh, securing the NPP’s flagbearer position for the 2024 elections.
Dr. Bawumia garnered 118,210 votes, representing 61.47%, while his closest competitor, Mr. Agyapong, received 71,996 votes, equivalent to 37.41%.
Dr. Afriyie Akoto finished in a distant third place with 1,459 votes, representing 0.76%, and Addai-Nimoh received a modest 731 votes, accounting for 0.41% of the total votes.
Campaign Promises Begin On The Seas
Meanwhile, campaign has began as the Vice President starts from the coast, promising a great Blue Economy.
The blue economy is an economic system that seeks to conserve marine and freshwater environments while using them in a sustainable way to develop economic growth and produce resources such as energy and food.
Speaking at the University of Cape Coast’s 3rd Conference on Fisheries and Coastal Environment in Accra, Dr. Bawumia revealed that the government has approved a $150 million World Bank loan to help fight coastal degradation.
“The government has approved a loan of $150 million from the World Bank for the West Africa coastal area program to stem the tide of coastal degradation occurring in our coastal areas.”
Mahamudu Bawumia
He said the loan would be used to finance several projects, including the development of sustainable fishing and aquaculture practices and the promotion of blue tourism and other blue economic activities.
Dr. Bawumia said the government is committed to working with the private sector to develop the blue economy. He said the government has created several incentives to attract private investment in the blue economy, such as tax breaks and access to financing.
The Vice President said the blue economy has the potential to create millions of jobs and generate billions of dollars in revenue for Ghana.
He added that the government is committed to developing the blue economy sustainably and inclusive. This will promote the livelihood of fisher folks in Ghana as they form part of the global economy; to protect and rehabilitate our coastal regions, we must invest in research.. minimize coastal pollutions to maximize marine diversity and tourism, address climate change and manage carbon emissions.
He added that this required the cooperation of sectors and global partners.
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