President Nana Akufo-Addo (right) with Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
President Nana Akufo-Addo has called on Ghanaians to vote for the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to retain the party in government.
He said keeping the NPP in office would enable them continue with the major flagship programmes, particularly the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy that has benefited millions of households in the country.
The President, who made the call when he interacted with the chiefs and people of Tamale, described the party’s flagbearer as trustworthy and competent to continue with such laudable policies among others, to improve the economic development of the country.
He said, “Bawumia is reliable, a person whose work can be trusted, consistent, and clear in his mind.”
He also asked the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, not to consistently run from a national debate which in his view would provide opportunity for Ghanaians to ask about his position on the Free SHS.
“The people of Ghana deserve the debate so they can see who is doing what and saying what and representing what. Mr. Mahama, which is which? What should the Ghanaian people take from you as your position on the Free Senior High School?
“Is it safe with you? Are you going to continue it or you’re going to review it?” he quizzed.
Dr. Bawumia and some members of the NPP have consistently called on the NDC flagbearer for a debate, but the NDC has rejected the invitation on multiple occasions and indicated that its flagbearer would not debate Dr. Bawumia.
According to President Akufo-Addo, voting for former President Mahama to be become president again would be devastating as he would cancel major policies and programmes that have benefited many Ghanaians in the last eight years of NPP’s administration, as he has demonstrated by declining to have a debate with Dr. Bawumia on policies.
In the North East Region where President Akufo-Addo visited on his ‘Thank you tour’, he reiterated his call to the electorates not to fall prey to the antics of former President John Mahama to vote for him on December 7.
Still touching on policies, the President said former President Jerry John Rawlings is noted for decentralisation in District Assembly, former President John Agyekum Kufuor is remembered for the National Health Insurance policy, while the current NPP administration is noted for the Free SHS policy.
He, however, mentioned that former President Mahama is always remembered for the erratic power cut, popularly called ‘dumsor’ that plagued the country into darkness and affected many businesses during the NDC administration.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah