Works and Housing Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has strongly defended Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s approach to tackling the high cost of living.
According to him, Dr. Bawumia’s manifesto clearly outlines actionable plans in key areas.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Monday, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said Dr. Bawumia’s strategy is not just rhetoric but focuses on four critical areas: energy, rent, transport, and food.
He argued that, the Vice President’s proposals are both specific and actionable.
“Dr. Bawumia has made it clear in his manifesto how he intends to reduce the cost of living across the board,” Oppong Nkrumah stated. “He detailed his plans for each of the key areas that impact the cost of living in Ghana.”
On energy, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah highlighted Dr. Bawumia’s plan to introduce 2,000 megawatts of solar power as a significant measure to lower energy costs.
“This is not just a promise; it’s a concrete step towards reducing the burden of energy expenses on Ghanaians,” he explained.
Regarding transportation, the minister pointed to Dr. Bawumia’s proposal to transition to high-capacity electric vehicles.
“He has outlined a plan to shift to electric vehicles to mitigate factors driving up public transport costs, such as fuel prices and spare parts. By eliminating fuel costs and controlling spare parts prices through flat-rate import duties, the plan is comprehensive,” he noted.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah also addressed the issue of food inflation, mentioning that Dr. Bawumia has a detailed approach to controlling food prices.
On the subject of rent, he referenced Dr. Bawumia’s commitment to improving access to housing, which is expected to reduce rental costs over time. “I heard Franklin Cudjoe mention social housing, and Dr. Bawumia has indeed addressed this by outlining a program to boost access to housing, aiming to lower rent costs,” he said.
Furthermore, the minister discussed the importance of currency stability, a significant concern for many Ghanaians.
He explained how Dr. Bawumia plans to expand the gold purchase program, which currently supports the gold-for-oil initiative, to cover other foreign exchange demands. “Multinationals often seek large sums of foreign currency to move out of the country. Dr. Bawumia’s plan is to have them exchange cedis through the gold purchase program to secure dollars without putting pressure on the limited forex in the market. That’s a bold move to curb forex demand,” he remarked.
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