Jonathan Abdallah Salifu, Upper East Regional Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), questioned the purpose of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s reelection as the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential candidate, arguing that the former vice president has not demonstrated leadership on the economy — the very area for which he was appointed running mate by President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Speaking on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East show on Tuesday, February 3, Abdallah said Bawumia has largely avoided discussing economic issues, despite Ghanaian elections being centered on the economy, infrastructure, and citizens’ livelihoods.
“You see, if I may ask you, what is Bawumia coming back to do?” Abdallah said.
“If it is about what we knew him for — talking about the economy — even though he ran away from it for some time now… he might want to revisit it. Because Ghana’s election is all about the economy. It’s about the stomach. It’s about infrastructure development.”
Abdallah also dismissed the former vice president’s focus on digitalization programs, saying such initiatives did little to address everyday community needs. “When he was doing digitalization, people didn’t mind him. In my village, where I need a six-classroom block for the kids to have a good classroom, what is digitalization to me? It has nothing to do with me,” he said.
The NDC official argued that Bawumia’s avoidance of economic discourse demonstrates a failure to deliver tangible benefits to Ghanaians. “So even though that digitalization thing, he failed, he knew he could not talk about the economy,” Abdallah said.
Bawumia was reelected NPP flagbearer during the party’s January 31 presidential primary. Abdallah questioned what the former vice president now intends to accomplish as he campaigns for the 2028 elections, suggesting that he lacks credibility to lead on economic matters.
Source: A1 Radio | 101.1 Mhz | Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith | Bolgatanga
