Okoe Boye Only Blames Akufo-Addo For Ghana's Problems? - He Clashes With Kweku Baako As He Attacks Bawumia
In an exchange on Peace FM's Kokrokoo on April 24, 2023, the Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority, Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye, engaged in a heated discussion regarding the policies of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President of Ghana.
During the discussion, the NHIA director asserted that Dr. Bawumia, who is reportedly showing interest in the NPP presidential primaries, should present his policies to the Ghanaian people so they can understand how he intends to differ from the current administration led by President Nana Akufo-Addo. Dr. Boye argued that, as Vice President, Dr. Bawumia is not solely in command of the administration and, as a result, he must disclose his plans to the public.
Kwesi Pratt, however, argued that Dr. Okoe Boye's argument was unjust to President Akufo-Addo.
If Dr. Okoe Boye suggests that Dr. Bawumia is not in command and must present his policies, then, according to Pratt, all government problems are being shifted to the president.
Pratt added that as Vice President, Dr. Bawumia had been a part of the administration and could potentially continue government policies if elected president.
Below is a transcript of the conversation.
Okoe Boye: It is preferable to be aware of what a politician has promised to do for you, even if they do not follow through, than to be unaware of what they have promised.
Now that you want to hear Bawumia's promise, Alhaji Bawumia's promises that he has made in Ghana, now that you want to hear his promises, Kwesi Pratt:
Okoe Boye: Senior, you will appreciate my point of view.
Pratt: Okay
Okoe Boye: Since 2008, in fact, since 2012, President Akufo-Addo has stated that when he becomes president, secondary education will be paid for by the government and not by parents.
To be fair to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, you know if you are vice president... In fact, if you precisely translate his title, he is the vice president. Is he the one providing instructions to Nana? No
Pratt: So you are stating that Bawumia is not the cause of any problems?
Okoe Boye: No, I haven't stated that...All I am saying is that if you are the subordinate commander, you will assist your commander in achieving his objective.
And if you declare you want to be commander, it does not mean that whatever your previous commander was doing is 100 percent for you and that you will do it.
Pratt: Please elucidate this point to me because I do not comprehend it.
Okoe Boye: The performance of senior Pratt demonstrates that not comprehending is preferable to understanding.
The point I'm making is very straightforward: being vice president is different from being president. Regardless of his previous roles, Bawumia now states, "I want to lead the party and this country..."
And I intend to act differently than the Akufo-Addo administration?
Okoe Boye: No, no, no…Don't speak for me, senior Pratt; tell us if what you want to do is the full complement of what President Akufo-Addo was doing or 70% of what he was doing plus 30% that we have never heard of. Tell me what you are thinking is a reasonable request.
Pratt: I believe that you are being extremely unjust to Nana Akufo-Addo; you are being unfair to Nana Akufo-Addo because of what you are doing; it appears that Bawumia will do something more extraordinary than Nana Addo.
If you are coming to do something other than what Nana Addo has done, please tell us; if what Nana Addo came to do did not go well, but you have a better method of doing it, then please tell us. It is also possible that when a new president takes office, he or she will continue the preceding president's policies. Therefore, he should come and inform us whether he intends to replicate Nana Addo's actions or take a different approach. But if he is proposing distinct policies, then there are significant concerns.