Bawumia flies to UK for medical attention

Vice President of the Republic, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on Friday, 19th January 2018, left Ghana for the United Kingdom for medical leave, on the advice of his doctors.

He was accompanied by his wife, Samira Bawumia, a terse statement signed by the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, said.

It is unclear what the exact condition of the Vice President is.

He was last seen in public on Wednesday when President Akufo-Addo had an encounter with the media at the Flagstaff House.

The Presidency had earlier on Friday announced that the Vice President, that day reported not feeling well and was attended to by his doctors.

There have been mixed reactions on social media about the decision to go public that the Vice President had taken ill. Whereas others think the announcement was right, others are of the view that it was needless.

But persons like the Vice President of IMANI Ghana, Kofi Bentil has said the decision was apt.

According to him, it is important that the Akufo-Addo administration runs an open government, one that the health status of the country’s leaders will not be kept as top secret.

But speaking on Joy FM’s News File on Saturday, Kofi Bentil who’s also a legal practitioner commended the government for being transparent, adding that there’s the need for the health status of leaders to be shared with the public.

“The health status of late President Mills and how long it took had a serious effect on governance in this country. All kinds of things happened but I think that what this government has started is a good thing. We need to be updated on the health status of our leaders, I think they should continue.

You can always leave some details out but it is a good thing. We should also find a way to make sure that we have a means within the country to take care of our leaders at least at a preliminary level.”