Lawyer Justice Srem-Sai of Praetorium Solicitors have vehemently disagreed with Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s claim of only being a ‘driver’s mate’ as erroneous, deceitful and simplistic.

According to him, the position of Vice President, by law, is the second highest office of the land after the Presidency and so Ghanaians should not be deceived by the rhetoric by pro-Bawumias that he (Bawumia) was helpless when the economy was being shred apart by the Akufo-Addo government.

In his comments, Justice Srem-Sai, indicated that there is a vast difference between the two positions of a ‘second driver’ and a ‘driver’s mate’. The latter, he argued, does not drive in the presence or absence of the driver.

According to him, the Vice President has had several opportunities to direct government business in the absence of the President and further asserted that Dr Bawumia has been allowed to preside over several urgent national matters even when his boss, Akufo-Addo, is around.

Mr. Srem-Sai strongly argued that whiles a driver’s mate is often not qualified to drive but aspires to do so someday, the occupier of the Vice-Presidential Position wields the same qualification as the President.

“A typical mate is not qualified to drive. In fact, he doesn’t have a driver’s license. He aspires to get it one day. The Vice President of Ghana, on the other hand, has the same qualification requirements as the President. He is required to know how to be President from scratch.”
Dr Justice Sraim Sai

For Mr. Srem-Sai, the Vice President cannot be sacked by the President at any point unlike a ‘mate’ whose driver can sack and replace at will.

He added that Dr. Bawumia’s description of himself as only a ‘driver’s mate’ is an indication of how ‘low’ he has thought of himself and his position for the past seven years when he ‘in actual fact and at law, is a ‘second driver’.

The renowned legal practitioner reckoned that things could have been different if the Vice President had known his role for the past seven years.

Ex-President Mahama Calls Out Dr. Bawumia for Shirking Responsibility

Meanwhile, the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and the Fianance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, as directly responsible for the economic mess Ghana is bedeviled with.

The Former President in addressing party enthusiast in Tamale, on his building Ghana tour, blamed all members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the gross mismanagement of the economy, particularly the Vice President and the Finance Minister.

He emphasized that every borrowing decision by the Nana-Addo government were approved by cabinet so it is disingenuous for any member of cabinet to deny his involvement in the mess resulting from their decisions.

“You inherited an economy that was doing well; it is you, by your mismanagement, your clueless Finance Minister, and your clueless head of the Economic Management Team who now want to run away from economic issues to become the champion of digitalization; it is they who have created this mess”
John Dramni Mahama

Mr. Mahama went on to argue that the Finance Minister’s claim of ‘turning the corner’ is inaccurate especially when the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has characterized the country as heavily distressed and its debt unsustainable.

According to him, the economy was thriving before he left office; only for Dr. Bawumia and his New Patriotic Party to botch it and blame covid-19 and Russia-Ukraine war.

He concluded that Ghanaians should show the NPP the exit in the next election by voting for his candidacy because the National Democratic Congress has the men and women to turn the bizarre state of the country around.