“Leadership is ultimately about choices: one leader might prefer one village, one dam; the other might prefer one chief, one car.”
The words above are not mine; neither are they from my late father. They are words from a man whose name sends shivers down the spines of his political opponents. The man I refer to is Alhaji, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, an economist with a genuine doctorate degree (PhD).
It is no news that he is the Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Great Elephant in this year’s election. But it is news whenever he decides to dissect the country’s economy. It is news because he gives his compatriots insight into how the country’s economy is being mismanaged. Again, it is news because his devastating punches ultimately leave his political opponents dazed and gasping for breath.
Without a doubt, the announcement that Dr Bawumia was going to deliver an economic lecture did send shivers down many spines. Knowing how devastating his punches could be, they did all in their power to make sure the lecture never saw the light of day.
Yes, they succeeded in stopping the lecture from taking place at the Accra International Conference Centre. But try as they did, they eventually could not stop it from taking place. The lecture ultimately came off at the National Theatre last Thursday and it was revealing as it was devastating. It was revealing because it has given many of my compatriots a better insight into the straw-like foundation of the country’s economy. It was also devastating because it has made managers of the economy run helter-skelter.
IMANI has done well to come out with a commentary on the lecture. But I will treat it with the contempt that it deserves. All they sought to do was to desperately try punching holes where there were none. For instance, they said Bawumia could have used alternative methods to compute his data and support his argument, without themselves giving alternative figures from those so-called alternative methods.
As for the government’s response to the lecture, the least said about it, the better. All the economic gurus of the ruling party are struggling to rationalize the mounting debt that is crippling the nation. They are sparing no effort to dissuade the general public from believing the gospel according to Bawumia. Despite disputing Bawumia’s figures on the country’s debt, both Seth Tekper and Ato Forson are yet to give us any figure on the matter. Interesting, isn’t it?
Who do I believe, Bawumia, IMANI or the government? The answer is pretty obvious, isn’t it? Who in his right senses would believe any other apart from Bawumia, when it comes to economic prediction in this country?
You see, the economist with a genuine doctorate has spoken; all other commentaries are nothing but mere cacophony of noises. If the man could correctly predict that the Cedi would run faster than Usain Bolt in 2014, who am I to dispute his predictions this time? If he could correctly predict that the mismanagement of the economy would make the country go for a bailout from “Big Brother” IMF, why should I disbelieve him and believe the rabble-rousers?
The truth is that the best predictor of future performance is the past one. If Bawumia’s past predictions have been more accurate than that of government or any other civil society organization, it is only wise to believe him. That is common sense, isn’t it?
Obviously, the straw foundation of the economy is as a result of the toxic combination of incompetence and corruption. Such a deadly combination must not be allowed to continue for another four years. It is the reason many of my compatriots are rooting for a competent and incorruptible leader.
This brings to mind Nana Addo’s comment that he is not a thief. That harmless statement has touched the nerve of some politicians. But the truth is that Nana Addo is not a thief; neither is he corrupt. His public record speaks for itself. Not even the orchestrated Sole Commissioner’s report could succeed in tainting his incorruptible record.
As for those who see Nana Addo’s comment as an indirect insult, that is their wahala oo! For sure, they must have skeletons in their cupboards to feel insulted by that harmless comment. Talk about Armajaro and Embraer debacles and their names would surely pop-up. No wonder the saying, “An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb.”
I take this opportunity to wish Dr Bawumia and all my fellow Muslims a blessed Eid-Ul-Adha. May the Bearded Old Man above grant our wish for change come December 7. Say AMEEN if you abhor incompetence and corruption!
See you next week for another interesting konkonsa, Deo volente!