He has been a leading member of the NPP over time and has contributed significantly to the party's growth.
Until his nomination as the vice-presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2008, he served as Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana
He was such a thorn in the flesh of the NDC and a focal point of rival attack during the political campaigns in the 2016 elections.
Dr. Bawumia was the NPP's campaign leading voice on the economy, economic policy, and public finance and has also led the charge against the project-related corruption and cronyism in the Mahama administration.
Today being his birthday, Ghanaweb takes a focus on how he aided the NPP to win the seat of government.
Birth of the 'incompetent Mahama' tag:
Dr Bawumia, as one of his political campaign messages, described the Mahama-led administration as the most "corrupt and incompetent" administration to rule Ghana. The then running mate of NPP in 2016 was convinced former president Mahama's silence on corruption allegations against his government was an acceptance of guilt.
However, the former President, Mr Dramani Mahama, condemned what he said, describing them as attempts by Bawumia and members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to portray him as incompetent.
Addressing his party supporters as part of his #changinglives tour, Mr Mahama said he’ll not have running mate of the opposition party Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia describe his government as incompetent, tagging him as politically immature to criticize him.
“Did you hear Bawumia say incompetent Mahama? You’ve never held any responsibility anywhere near the presidency before; you don’t know what it is like to be President. I will take that word from Kufuor or from Rawlings because they’ve been there before. All of you guys [NPP critics] have never ever come near the presidency. [Do] you know what it takes to be a President? And you stand and say incompetent Mahama administration,” he said.
Fast forward to 2019, the former president who seems to have gotten used to the Bawumia "incompetent tag" says, he's not bothered when described in that capacity.
"I know he calls me ‘The Incompetent One’ or something like that but it doesn’t really bother me. I think the people of Ghana are discerning and they can tell the contribution that I’ve made to our public service since I’ve been in politics. I will continue to respond as civilly and courteously as possible and I think that it’s for all politicians to learn. Politics need not be dirty", he told his audience on social media during an interactive Facebook Live session on Thursday, 23 August 2019.
Dr Bawumia scored political points in October 2016 with his ‘Ghanaians are suffering’ rhyme. During one of the campaigns, he categorized various professions in the country and how persons in those fields were feeling the devastating effect of the ‘poor economy’ under the Mahama-led administration for which reason they ought to have voted them out.
“Teachers are suffering, teacher trainees are suffering, nurses are suffering, nursing trainees are suffering, patients are suffering, students are suffering, traders are suffering, pensioners are suffering, drivers are suffering, contractors are suffering, civil servants are suffering and farmers are suffering, fishermen are suffering and industries are suffering, artisans are suffering and kayayei are suffering, the disabled are suffering and men are suffering, women are suffering and children are suffering and Ghanaians are suffering," he said.
170 questions posed to late Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur
Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the then NPP vice presidential candidate provided 170 statements, demanding answers from the late Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur following a declaration by the latter that, he (Bawumia) lied at his public lecture - "Real state of the economy" and that his claims were untrue.
Here is video below on the 170 statements presented:
However, speaking at the National Democratic Congress (NDC) final rally in Accra, then Vice President, Amissah-Arthur said after going through the said questions, he realised that they were merely statements or facts on the ground, which do not demand answers.
“So I have decided that everywhere we go I’ll take one of his lies and explain to you why they are lies. So don’t believe what you read, because I got a copy of the things he read three days ago. When I read it, every line there is a lie there, I can destroy that lie.”
Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President, Ghana