The National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Sammy Gyamfi Esq., has drawn lessons from the recent U.S. elections and highlighted how they apply to Ghana’s political context.
According to Sammy Gyamfi, the outcome of the U.S. elections offers critical insights for discerning Ghanaians, especially when evaluating the promises of leaders instrumental in shaping current economic policies.
Accountability and Responsibility in Leadership
Sammy Gyamfi argued that it is insincere for a vice president to distance himself from the policies of a government in which he played a key role.
“You cannot have a sitting vice president pretend to be a mere driver’s mate, pretend to run away from responsibility, pretend to distance himself or herself from the failings of a government that he or she is part and parcel of.
You cannot have a vice president, a sitting vice president for that matter, pretend to be an opposition leader in his own government, campaigning against policies that he himself was part and parcel of relative to the shaping and formulating of such policies. Come to you and say, I represent change. So, vote for me and I will do things differently.”
Sammy Gyamfi Esq. National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
Double Standards and Hypocrisy
Sammy Gyamfi criticized what he viewed as a “double standard” in Bawumia’s campaign approach, where the vice president promised change from policies, he was actively involved in creating.
For Sammy Gyamfi, this kind of “double speech” is something discerning Ghanaians will see through.
“Ghanaians are discerning, they will not, excuse my language, be fooled by these theatrics and these gimmicks. They can see through the lies.
They know that once upon a time, a candidate came to we the people of Ghana and shared a sincere handicap relative to the management of the economy.”
Sammy Gyamfi Esq. National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
He underscored how this approach demonstrates a lack of sincerity, emphasizing that “the sending minds will always reject such double speech, such hypocrisy, such double standards because they know that it is not genuine.”
Economic Accountability
In his remarks, Gyamfi contrasted Bawumia’s economic record with former President John Dramani Mahama.
“It was under John Mahama as chairman of the economic management team that Ghana chalked its best-ever economic matrices, it was under him that inflation reduced from double digits to single digits and was sustained at single digits for 33 months. It was under him that Ghana chalked its highest economic growth in history, 14.4% in 2011. It was under him that we saw interest rates in the single digits.”
Sammy Gyamfi Esq. National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
He argued that Ghanaians remember these achievements and will hold John Mahama’s economic leadership in high regard when evaluating Bawumia’s promises.
“Today, we have defaulted on our debt obligations for the first time in 50 years. Our economy, which was rated B minus under Mahama, today is rated junk. We are locked out of the capital markets that President Kufuor of the NPP you know took us to.”
Sammy Gyamfi Esq. National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
He concluded that the current administration’s record of economic management under Bawumia’s oversight pales in comparison to John Mahama’s tenure, a fact that he believes voters will consider in December.
The Importance of Genuine Economic Solutions
Sammy Gyamfi suggested that Ghanaians will ultimately choose policies that address the nation’s economic challenges rather than empty promises.
He contrasted John Mahama’s approach, which involved taking responsibility for economic management, with Bawumia’s current campaign rhetoric, which he argued is detached from the reality of his role in government.
“Ghanaians know that even though unemployment was a challenge under John Mahama, it stood at 8.4% according to the Ghana Statistical Service, So, Ghanaians will not choose an unemployment rate of almost 15% over 8.4%.”
Sammy Gyamfi Esq. National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
For Sammy Gyamfi, John Mahama’s experience and proven track record offer a “safe pair of hands” for economic stewardship, especially in the wake of what he describes as “economic mismanagement” under the current administration.
Sammy Gyamfi also issued a pointed message to Vice President Bawumia, calling him out for what he described as an “opposition leader” approach while still being part of the government.
He emphasized that Ghanaians are well aware of Bawumia’s involvement in the decisions that led to the current economic crisis.
“This is a clarion call to Bawumia, who is a flag bearer of the failed ruling New Patriotic Party, and who today is campaigning like an opposition leader in government, telling Ghanaians that oh utilities are so high because we import A B C D, Vote for me and I will do things differently, forgetting that in the last 8 years, he’s been part and parcel of the very people who have destroyed our economy. And in fact, he was at the helm relative to the mismanagement of the economy.”
Sammy Gyamfi Esq. National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
In closing, Sammy Gyamfi stressed that Ghanaians will not be swayed by rhetoric that contradicts the reality of a leader’s past actions.
He reaffirmed his confidence that the electorate will see through the campaign strategies that he argues are inconsistent with the responsibilities taken on by key figures in the current government.
“Ghanaians are far too discerning to be taken in by such theatrics, Ghanaians have seen John Dramani Mahama as vice president and president, and they have seen Bawumia as vice president and chairman of the economic management team. They know that when it comes to the economy, John Mahama is our safe pair of hands, that experienced, tried, and tested leader we can entrust our bankrupt economy to for him to salvage what is left.”
Sammy Gyamfi Esq. National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
In Sammy Gyamfi’s view, these are lessons from the U.S. elections that Ghana’s electorate would be wise to apply when choosing a leader capable of tackling the nation’s pressing economic challenges.
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