The flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the 2024 general election, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has stated that the country needs a visionary leader with a proven track record and credibility to solve generational problems.
He said he had proven to be a problem solver through policies he has spearheaded as Vice-President.
"Ghana needs problem solvers, generational thinkers and people with innovative ideas, Dr Bawumia stated at an NPP international conference in Johannesburg, South Africa last Saturday.
“I am a problem solver and a generational thinker with innovative ideas. I have a solid track record as Vice-President to prove it,” he added.
He told his audience that Ghana’s next leader must possess qualities to move the country forward to the next level.
Buttressing his impactful contributions as Vice-President, Dr Bawumia referenced a number of policy initiatives he had spearheaded to address generational problems such as the digital national identity system to solve the generational problem of the lack of national identity and exclusion; the digital national property address system to address the problem of lack of property identity, mobile money interoperability to resolve the issue of financial exclusion and promote a cashless society, digitalisation of public services to promote efficiency and reduce corruption, delivery of essential drugs to remote areas through drones, as well as other policies, including One Ambulance, One Constituency and Agenda 111 hospitals.
"I have not been President before but through my role as Vice-President, I have demonstrated that I will be a hard-working President who will work very hard to address problems confronting our sustainable development."
Drawing comparisons between himself and his main competitor, John Mahama, Dr Bawumia stated unequivocally that considering his "track record, work ethics and vision," he was a better candidate than Mahama, whom he said, had already been rejected twice due to his poor performance when he got the chance to be President.
"Former President Mahama has been President before but what was his track record? He failed. He failed to tackle corruption and many problems. Economically, if you look at all the economic data in the Fourth Republic, Mahama has been the worst President," he said.
"John Mahama doesn't represent change because he was there as President and he has been rejected twice in 2016 and 2020. I have not been President before and my record as Vice-President is there for all to see. John Mahama represents the past and I represent the next chapter and future of our country," the NPP flag bearer for 2024 stated.
Dr Bawumia said he would be more accountable to Ghanaians than his main contender, former President John Mahama, whom he said, will not be accountable to the people because he will not seek re-election.
"As President, I will be more accountable because I will have another opportunity to seek the mandate of the people after 2024. Mahama has just one term and he will not come back to Ghanaians to seek re-elections so he will not be accountable," he added.