Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, former General Secretary and a former flagbearer aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has cautioned against solely attributing the challenges faced by the government to vice president and current flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
According to him, unlike John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who has been vice president and president before, Dr Bawumia is only a vice president.
In a news report by myjoyonline.com, Kwabena Agyepong stated that drawing comparisons with John Mahama, who has experienced both offices, is not fair for Dr Bawumia.
“Let’s not create the impression that the current government hasn’t done anything positive. I don’t subscribe to that. There have been shortcomings and difficulties on different fronts, it’s a fact, and that’s a reality that we face. And he [Bawumia] as a vice president would have to carry some of that. At the end of the day, John Mahama would know more than most because he’s been vice president and president, and he knows there’s a sea of difference in the two offices, so we’ve got to cut Dr Bawumia some slack; the buck doesn’t stop with him.
"In any case, there have been a lot of areas that we can be proud of as a government, and areas that I think we need improvement. With John Mahama, he’s had the opportunity. He’s been president already, Bawumia has not been president before so at least we can give him the benefit of the doubt. John has been vice president and president, so the things that he’s saying he’s going to do, he had the opportunity to do them but he didn’t do them. So, how are we to believe that he will do them this time round?
"At least, Dr Bawumia hasn’t been president before and that’s a big difference, and John Mahama should know the difference between the two offices better because he has occupied both. That’s why I am prepared to cut Dr Bawumia some slack and give him the benefit of the doubt and support him,” he said.
Regarding Bawumia's vision for change, the former general secretary indicated that it is important for an effective execution of policies, particularly in areas such as government contracts and procurement.
He stressed the need for value for money and a reduction in wasteful spending.
“So, I think it’s his vision on how to cut the waste to make sure that there’s value for money on government contracts and procurement; that’s where we are bleeding a lot as a country and as a civil engineer I know what I am talking about. The cost of a kilometre of road in Ghana is about the most expensive on the African continent, and it shouldn’t be so.
“So, it’s not so much about politicking. At the end of the day, once you win the confidence of the Ghanaian people that you are calm enough, you have the emotional stability and the emotional intelligence to deal with the difficult situations we find ourselves as Ghanaians, that’s what matters. And I think he has shown in this very tough electoral environment that he was able to withstand some of the strong jibes that were delivered,” he added.
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