The flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has taken a swipe at former President John Mahama and challenged him to point out one social intervention he introduced as President.
He said even as Vice-President he (Dr Bawumia) could show 33 policies, something he said the former President failed to do.
“I can show 33 policies. If it were a football match the score would have been 33-0. If someone scores you 33-0, you say you have won the match. It means I have passed as Vice-President, so promote me to President,” he said.
Dr Bawumia who was addressing a charged crowd of NPP supporters at Ofankor in the Trobu Constituency in the Greater Accra Region last Friday, said: “If you want to be President, you must have your vision and implementation strategies to bring development because it is the reason the people sent you to the position.”
Buttressing his argument, Dr Bawumia mentioned a number of social interventions introduced by the NPP, including the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the Ghana National School Feeding Programme under former President John Agyekum Kufuor, and asked what did John Mahama bring?
Explaining further, the NPP flag bearer said, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Bawumia brought a policy like the free Senior High School (SHS), free Tertiary Vocational and Education Training (TVET), the “Agenda 111” hospitals, the Zipline drones, the Zongo Development Fund, One District One Factory (1D1F), One Constituency One Ambulance, mobile money interoperability and the digital address system.
He said the government had also built 12 fish landing sites, as well as the Elmina and James Town fishing harbours.
The Vice-President also added that the government would recruit 70, 000 health personnel for the “Agenda 111” hospitals should it be completed.
All these, he said, were interventions which brought development.
He expressed regret that former President Mahama could only propose “the rearing of chicken and 24-hour disco” as his policies and asked if that was what Ghanaians wanted.
He, therefore, called on Ghanaians to vote for him to be President to bring new ideas, new innovations and new solutions.
Dr Bawumia said “I am bringing new policies to reduce electricity bills through solar power to generate electricity so that the country will move away from oil and gas.”
He reiterated his pledge to support People With Disabilities (PWDs), and said they would go to tertiary institutions for free and also be given a reserved percentage in all government recruitment.
Earlier, Dr Bawumia as part of the possibilities tour, worshipped with fellow Muslims at the central mosque at Fiise, after which he toured the Pokuase market and the streets to interact with the traders.
He further proceeded to the Muus Timber Market at Tantra Hill to also interact with the wood workers and traders.
Responding to concerns raised by the Ofankor Mantse, Nii Kotey Boi II, during the engagement with traditional leaders, the clergy, Imams and other stakeholders, the NPP flag bearer said “I know Trobu, your roads are your biggest problems, the news I have for you is that on Monday, September 16, 2024, contractors are coming to start work on your roads.”
On the issue of the preservation of the Ga language, Dr Bawumia stressed the need for all to appreciate the cost that came with hosting the capital of the country, and said it was an important matter which must be worked on, and that a special action was needed to preserve the language and culture, pointing out that if that was not done, then there would be a major negative impact on the people.
The NPP parliamentary candidate for Trobu, Gloria Owusu, said since 1957 no political party had worked more than the government of the NPP.
She said education bridged the gap between the rich and the poor, and told the people not to underestimate the benefits of the free SHS policy by the government.
Ms Owusu said she was ready to continue with the good work of the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP), Moses Anim, but to be able to achieve that she needed Dr Bawumia as the president to enhance the effort.
She, therefore, appealed to the people to go out in their numbers on December 7, 2024 and vote, since voter apathy could be costly.