Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia with John Mahama
The Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has thrown down the gauntlet, challenging his counterpart, former President John Mahama, to a one-on-one debate.
This comes after John Mahama running from a debate but came out with five questions to Dr Bawumia regarding Ghana’s economy.
Reacting to the latest development, Dr Bawumia described former President Mahama’s questions as “flimsy” and an attempt to avoid a debate.
He then proceeded to ask Mahama 50 questions, tackling various aspects of his presidency, including economic management, social interventions, and infrastructure development.
Economic Management
Some of the questions posed by Bawumia include:
– Can you name any broad-based social intervention policy implemented during your presidency?
– Why did you run advertisements against free SHS?
– How come Ghana experienced over four years of Dumsor under your government?
– Why did the banking system almost collapse under your government?
Infrastructure Development
Bawumia also questioned Mahama’s infrastructure record:
– Why did your government construct fewer roads than our government?
– Why did your government construct fewer hospitals, schools, and fish landing sites?
– Why did your government fail to provide adequate sanitation facilities and waste recycling plants?
Social Interventions
Additionally, Bawumia asked:
– Why did you cancel teacher training allowances and nursing training allowances?
– Why did the National Ambulance service collapse under your government?
– What help did your government provide to children suffering from cancer, sickle cell patients, and people needing kidney dialysis?
Mahama had earlier asked Bawumia five questions, including:
– Why has the cedi depreciated from GHC 4 to $1 in 2016 to almost GHC 17 to $1 today?
– Why has Ghana’s public debt risen from GHC 120 billion in 2016 to GHC 763 billion in 2024?
– Why did inflation rise to 54% under Bawumia’s watch as Economic Management Team (EMT) chair?
The debate challenge and subsequent questioning highlight the intensity of the presidential campaign in Ghana.
-BY Daniel Bampoe