The Vice President and flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia says former President John Mahama’s proposal to introduce a 24 hour economy in Ghana if he is elected President of Ghana again, is “not a well thought out policy.”
Addressing a milling crowd in Tamale on Monday during his tour of the north on Monday, Dr. Bawumia dismissed the idea, saying a 24 hour economy cannot be legislated by government and that many sectors of Ghana’s economy, both government and private sectors, are already operating 24 hours.
“I hear John Mahama has a new idea and he wants to run a 24 hour economy. I say where did he get this idea from? It is not a bright idea! A 24 hour economy cannot be legislated by government,” Dr. Bawumia said.
“Today, there are many businesses that are already working for 24 hours. Hospitals are opened for 24 hours. You can buy electricity for 24 hours. Because of digitalisation, you can transfer money for 24 hours. There are many chop bars and restaurants that are opened for 24 hours” he added.
Dr. Bawumia continued: “the police is working for 24 hours. The security services are working for 24 hours. So what is this 24 hour economy that you want to bring? Operating 24 hours is an issue for businesses. If you’ll make more money opening 24 hours, there is no law preventing you.”
“This is an idea John Mahama thinks he has brought. It is a bad idea. It is an idea that has not been well thought through.”
While listing a number of policy initiatives he, as Vice President, introduced and spearheaded, Dr. Bawumia said Mr Mahama, who has become both Vice President and President before, does not have a track record of impactful and transformational policies.
“I want you to compare me and John Mahama. Who has the ideas to transform Ghana. The track record of John Mahama doesn’t show innovative thinking.”
“I have not yet become President but I as a Vice President, I have brought solutions to many of our problems,” he said.
“We did not have a unique identity so I championed the government’s policy for the Ghana Card. Today we have 17 million people issued with the Ghana Card. Today, because of my proposal, we have no guarantor for student loan if you have a Ghana Card. Today Ghana has a digital property address system because we had a problem of no functional address.”
He continued: “Before you could not transfer money between one teleco to another. But today, because of mobile money interoperability, you can transfer money Vodafone to MTN, to Airtle Tigo. Before, you could not transfer money between a bank account and a mobile account. Today you can do that. Today, you can renew the National Health Insurance on your mobile phone.”
“Today, you can sit at home and buy electricity credit on your mobile phone. Today we have brought zipline drones and they are delivering medicines to 2700 hospitals and clinics across the country.”
“Today, we have one constituency, one ambulance. And another idea I brought is Agenda 111. We are building hospitals in districts without hospitals. Other ideas I brought are Zongo Development Fund and Gold for Oil policy. Today you can acquire drivers license and passport online. Today you can file your taxes online.”
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