Former President and NDC flagbearer John Dramani Mahama has criticized Vice President and NPP presidential candidate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, accusing him of dodging key economic questions by deflecting with what Mahama calls “irrelevant” counter-questions.
At a campaign rally in Savalegu on Wednesday, October 30, Mahama remarked, “I woke up this morning and saw 50 questions from him. It’s as though our Vice President has just memorized these things like we used to recite poems in primary school.”
“I asked you five simple questions that Ghanaians want you to answer, and instead, you come back with, ‘How many compost plants did you build?’ That’s not the issue in Ghana today,” he added.
Mahama’s initial questions addressed areas he believes represent critical economic missteps by the NPP government. These included the cedi’s depreciation, mounting national debt without corresponding infrastructure improvements, and rising youth unemployment.
Mahama also questioned Bawumia’s shift in emphasis from core economic management to digitalization efforts, arguing that while digital initiatives have their place, they do not tackle Ghana’s pressing economic problems.
Dr. Bawumia’s response came in the form of 50 counter-questions covering a broad array of topics such as Mahama’s economic record during the “dumsor” power crisis, cuts to training allowances for nurses and teachers, anti-corruption measures, healthcare improvements, and digital transformation initiatives like the Ghanacard and digital address system. He also highlighted infrastructure projects in areas like road construction, airport expansion, and health facility upgrades.
However, Mahama contended that Bawumia’s list sidestepped pressing economic issues. “You don’t need a debate to answer the five questions. When you asked Amissah Arthur the five equations, you didn’t set up a debate for him to answer. Ghanaians are asking you five simple questions; just answer them,” he insisted.
“I’ve also given Akufo-Addo two questions; he should come and answer them. That’s all Ghanaians are looking for. You have damaged the economy; that is the truth. In all his 50 questions, he has skillfully avoided the economy. The economy is in a terrible state—just answer the five questions I have asked you on behalf of the people of Ghana, simple,” he said.
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