The National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi Esq. has criticized the senior Vice President of IMANI Africa on his call for Ghanaians to offer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President the chance to lead the country.
In a scathing response to Mr Kofi Bentil’s recent call for Ghanaians to give Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia a fair hearing, Mr Gyamfi accused Dr Bawumia of presiding over an unprecedented economic mess.
Mr Gyamfi responding to Mr Kofi Bentil, the Senior Vice President of IMANI Africa, a policy think tank further described the Vice President’s lecture scheduled for 7th February as ‘needless and useless’.
In his statement, the National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress revisited the 2016 electoral period, highlighting Dr Bawumia’s numerous lectures and economic analyses that resonated with Ghanaians, ultimately contributing to the electoral victory of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
However, Mr Gyamfi argued that Dr Bawumia’s performance as the chairman of the Economic Management Team under President Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party administration has been far from satisfactory.
“Ghanaians were so much in awe of Bawumia’s ‘charm’ and ‘wizardry’ that they trusted him to manage Ghana’s economy. Need I remind you, that at a time when Bawumia as chairman of the Economic Management Team has supervised the destruction of the economy, what is required of him, is ACTION and not lectures? This is trite and you of all people should know that”
Sammy Gyamfi Esq.
Furthermore, Sammy Gyamfi vehemently rejected Mr Bentil’s claim that Dr Bawumia has been only an advisor to the government, pointing to the Vice President’s involvement in key initiatives such as Agenda 111, the Drone delivery system, and the government’s digitalization efforts.
He questioned why President Akufo-Addo himself had lauded Bawumia’s ‘stellar leadership’ of the Economic Management Team in the 2018 State of the Nation Address.
The National Democratic Congress Communications Officer also challenged Mr Bentil on Dr Bawumia’s opposition role, questioning the logic behind the Vice President posing 170 questions to the late Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur.
Moreover, Sammy Gyamfi concluded his statement by asserting that Vice President Dr Bawumia is responsible for the current economic challenges facing Ghanaians and urged Mr Bentil to accept the truth instead of attempting to “whitewash a failed and discredited leader like the Vice President.
“What do you take Ghanaians for Mr. Bentil? Some zombies? It is a fact that your new Boss Bawumia, is responsible for the unprecedented economic mess Ghanaians are currently faced with. No amount of political subterfuge can change this fact. This agenda of yours is dead on arrival (“yaamutu”), try another one, please”.
Sammy Gyamfi Esq.
Professor Kobby Mensah Questions Bawumia’s Performance, Calls For Action Over Rhetoric
Meanwhile, Professor Kobby Mensah, a lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School, in response to calls by Mr Kofi Bentil, the Senior Vice President of IMANI Africa, urging Ghanaians to give Bawumia a chance has expressed scepticism and emphasized the need for concrete actions over rhetorical promises.
Professor Mensah in his statement mentioned some key leaders of the governing New Patriotic Party who believe Dr Bawumia should be grateful to the party for ascending to the helm of both the party and the country’s leadership, however, he raised concerns about the Vice President’s performance, particularly during his tenure as chairman of the Economic Management Team.
“Ghanaians gave Bawumia ample fair hearing in 2012 and 2016 as he championed his infamous theories, including the FTTP – from taxation to production. How did that fare? All of us can attest to his utmost failure, leading to the ‘Nwisie Tax’ today”.
Professor Kobby Mensah
Professor Mensah further questioned the efficacy of Dr Bawumia’s economic theories and stressed the need for action, stating, that what Ghanaians need now is action and not the same old ‘soundbites’.
The University of Ghana lecturer challenged those who have endorsed Dr Bawumia to reconsider their stance, particularly in light of the current economic challenges facing the country.
He criticized the tendency to credit Dr Mahamudu Bawumia for initiatives such as Agenda 111, the Drone delivery system, the Ghana card, and digitalization, while the economy continues to struggle.
“In 2018, Nana Addo gave Bawumia credit for what he described as an improvement in the economy. Yet when Ghanaians talk about the economy being in tatters, his endorsers say Bawumia is not to blame. Wow! How does that sound? The talk of bold solutions for the future, what about now? What about bold solutions for the economy he has destroyed?”
Professor Kobby Mensah
Professor Kobby Mensah recounted what he perceives as a contradiction in the narrative surrounding the Vice President’s role in the economic landscape.
Professor Mensah concluded his statement by emphasizing the need for the Vice President to focus on tangible actions and solutions to address the current economic challenges, calling for a departure from rhetoric and an embrace of practical measures to uplift Ghana’s economy.
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