Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
The Spokesperson of the Vice President, Dr. Gideon Boako, has deubked assertions that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is avoiding making comment on the current challenges plaguing the Ghanaian economy.
This is as a result of the rising cost of fuel and the depreciation of the cedi which is creating serious concerns among Ghanaians with calls on Dr Bawumia to break his silence, hence the need for the Vice President who is the chairman of the Economic Management Team (EMT) to initiate remedy to rescue Ghana from its economic woes.
Although, the fundamental challenges of Ghana’s economy have been there before the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government took office but the indicators appear to have recently taken a nosedive.
This has resulted in the former President John Dramani Mahama recent attacks on the Vice President.
The former President speaking at the launch of the TEIN (Tertiary Education Institution Network) App at the University of Professional Studies, Accra said Ghana was currently facing hardship “on a scale never witnessed in the 30-year history of our Fourth Republic.”
“General incompetence, corruption, and waste of scarce resources have combined to make life simply unbearable for the generality of Ghanaians,” he said.
Mr. Mahama further said the youth were suffering the most from broken promises from the government.
“The government has bungled the important task of securing the welfare and wellbeing of our young people through sound policies in education and ensuring the availability of employment opportunities,” he said.
The former president cited inflation, rising fuel prices, and the depreciation of the cedi as key challenges facing Ghanaians.
After Vice President Bawumia famously said the Akufo-Addo administration had arrested the depreciation of the cedi, Mr. Mahama contended that “the dollar has rather arrested him. So we are looking for him. We can’t find him. I asked IGP if he had the key so that we could find where our Vice President was, and he said he doesn’t have it and doesn’t know his whereabouts.”
However, responding to the issues raised by the former President, Dr. Gideon Boako, Aide to the Vice President said his boss is not shying away from commenting on the economy but working tirelessly on measures the government seeks to implement to address current economic challenges.
He said the Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia will be speaking on the economy at Cape Coast in the Central Region on measures to deal with the current economic crisis.
Dr. Baoko noted that already, the President has approved some measures aimed at mitigating the depreciation of the Cedi, ensuring expenditure discipline, and providing reliefs in the face of global fuel price hikes and inflation as well as ensuring that priority programs meant to grow the economy are protected.
On the aspect of the Vice President missing, Dr. Baoko said the calls for the Vice President to speak goes a long way to confirm that Ghanaians believe he is the messiah to the economy challenges hence they want to hear what he will say.
According to him, all the genuine calls are based on the intelligence, educational achievements of the Vice President as an experienced economist who can revive the post COVID19 economy and he will surely put his competence to bear by addressing a forum in Cape Coast on the economy.
“Vice President will speak next month in Cape Coast on issues bothering the economy and other matters that he deems right but the economy matters will be key,” Personal Assistant of the Vice President, Gideon Beako disclose this on Accra based, Asempa Fm when reacting to issues related to the remarks made by former President Mahama.
He assured Ghanaians that government is seriously working hard to deal with the challenges confronting Ghanaians, asking them to exercise patient.
He mentioned that the vice president is thinking of how to reduce hardship on Ghanaians, considering the rise in cost of fuel although the current challenges confronting the nation is a global challenge but government is putting in measures to reduce burden its people.
“Because of the competence leadership we’ve currently, although there is fuel crisis but Ghanaians don’t join queues to buy fuel unlike the regime of Prof Mills and John Mahama when people have their own money but couldn’t get fuel to buy. So those talking now should be grateful about the situation although it is not the best but better than before. Taxi drivers, commercial, bus drivers do not get fuel to buy during those days and even the government was unable to buy fuel to power our electricity unlike now where because of superior competent there is enough fuel.
“It is not all about who will speak but finding solution to the challenges. So whether the President, Vice President or the Finance Minister speaks is about addressing the problems.”
He shaded former President Mahama when he said the current Vice Chairman was unlike him when he was only commissioning public toilet as Vice President during late Prof Mills administration.
By Vincent Kubi