In a bold counter-response to questions posed by NDC flagbearer John Dramani Mahama, Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has issued a list of 50 questions challenging Mahama’s leadership record and urging him to face off in a one-on-one-debate.

Dr. Bawumia framed his response as an opportunity for a public evaluation of policies, achievements, and governance records between the two presidential hopefuls.

“I would have thought he would be man enough to face me in a one-on-one debate for the Ghanaian public to assess our respective policies, achievements, and visions,” Dr. Bawumia stated.

He described Mahama’s initial questions as “flimsy” and questioned Mahama’s avoidance of a direct debate on issues impacting Ghanaians.

Dr. Bawumia’s 50 questions cover a range of issues including economic management, social interventions, digitalization initiatives, and infrastructure. He posed questions on topics such as:

• Mahama’s economic policies during the power crisis (“dumsor”) period
• Cancellations of training allowances for nurses and teachers
• Measures taken to combat corruption and promote financial inclusion
• Specific efforts to support critical healthcare services, like ambulance provisions and services for chronic illness patients
• Initiatives for digital transformation, such as Ghana’s national identity card program (Ghanacard) and the digital address system
• Development projects, including road construction, airport expansion, and health facility upgrades

Dr. Bawumia emphasized policies he claims to have championed, including Free SHS, One Constituency One Ambulance, the Ghanacard, digital property addressing, mobile money interoperability, and agenda-setting programs like Agenda 111 and the Zongo Development Fund. By contrasting these initiatives with Mahama’s term, he challenged Mahama’s past administration on fulfilling campaign promises and addressing systemic issues like unemployment, health access, and educational support.

The Vice President also questioned Mahama’s stance on the Free SHS program, agricultural growth, and infrastructure, accusing the NDC administration of neglecting development projects that he believes the current government has significantly advanced.

This exchange has added intensity to the upcoming election landscape, with Bawumia pushing for a debate that he believes will allow Ghanaians to assess each candidate’s vision and performance head-to-head.

Below is Bawumia’s full post

QUESTIONS FOR JOHN MAHAMA
I have just read questions posed to me by former President Mahama. I would have thought he would be man enough to face me in a one-on-one debate for the Ghanaian public to assess our respective policies, achievements and visions.

He should not hide behind these flimsy questions to avoid a debate. Come for a debate and I can ask the moderators to ask me these five flimsy questions. But I have many more substantive questions for him:

1. Can you name any broad-based social intervention policy that  you implemented in Ghana as President?

2. Why did you run advertisements against free SHS?
3. If you think your economic management was so good how come we experienced more than four years of Dumsor under your government?
4. Why did the banking system almost collapse under your government?
5. Why did you cancel teacher training allowances?
6. Why did you cancel nursing training allowances
7. Why did the National Ambulance service virtually collapse under your government?
8. Why was your government unable to create even a quarter of the jobs that our government has created?
9. How many nurses, teachers, police officers, immigration officers and service personnel did you recruit as President?
10. Why did you implement the three-month pay policy for teachers under the government?
11. Why did you cancel the car import duty waiver for teachers and nurses?
12. Why was average agricultural growth under your government (2.9%) less than half what it is under our government
13. Why was industry growth under your government lower than what it is under our government?
14. Why was overall GDP growth under your government lower than under our government?
15. Why did your government have no industrial policy for Ghana?
16. Why do you think our government has constructed four times more roads than your government did?
17. Why do you think our government has constructed and is constructing more hospitals than your government did?
18. Why do you think our government has constructed and is constructing more schools than your government did?
19. Why do you think our government has constructed and is constructing more fish landing sites than your government did?
20. Why do you think our government has constructed and is constructing more courts than your government did?
21. Why do you think our government has constructed and is constructing more public libraries than your government did?
22. Why do you think our government has constructed and is constructing more sports facilities than your government did?
23. Why do you think our government has constructed and is constructing more airports than your government did?
24. Why do you think our government has constructed and is constructing and equipping more TVET institutions than your government did?
25. Why do you think our government has constructed and is constructing more interchanges than your government did?
26. Why do you think our government has overseen the provision of more NCA licensed fibre optic cable than your government did?
27. Why do you think our government has constructed and is constructing more sanitation facilities than your government did?
28. Why do you think our government has constructed and is constructing more waste recycling plants than your
government did?
29. Why do you think our government has provided 70% more scholarships to students than your government?
30. Why do you think our government has constructed and is constructing more infrastructure in the Zongo communities than your government did?
31. Why do you think our government has provided more vehicles and equipment to the security services than your government did?
32. Why do you think our government has constructed and is constructing more hospitals than your government did?
33. How come your government was unable to issue any significant amount of the National Identity Card (Ghanacard)?
34. Why was your government unable to deal with the problem of Ghost workers on the government payroll?
35. During your period as president only 4% of Ghanaian adults had Tax Identification Numbers. Our government has increased it to 85%. Why were you unable to do similar?
36. Why was your government unable to digitalize the operations at the port to reduce corruption?
37. Why was your government unable to solve the problem of the lack of a functioning Ghana-wide property address system?
38. Why was your government not able to solve the problem of access to financial inclusion like we have?
39. What help did your government provide children suffering from cancer, sickle cell patients and people needing kidney dialysis?
40. Why did you fulfill only 28% of your promises in your 2012 Manifesto?
41. What measures did your government implement to address the problem that people have in paying rent advance?
42. What did you do to help people who had difficulty in enrolling for or renewing their National health insurance
memberships?
43. What did your government do specifically to promote the creative arts and tourism?
44. How did your government address the problem of getting emergency drug, blood and vaccine delivery to remote parts of Ghana in times of emergency?
45. How did your government address the problem of tertiary students who could not access student loans because they could not find guarantors?
46. As Vice-President, I have initiated or championed policies such as One Constituency One Ambulance, Agenda 111, Medical Drones, Zongo Development Fund, E-Pharmacy, Ghanacard, Digital Property Address System, Mobile Money Interoperability, Paperless Ports, No Guarantor Student Loans, Ghana.Gov, Citizens App, Go-Ride, Gold for Oil, Bank of Ghana Gold Purchase Program, District Road Improvement Program (DRIP) etc. ? Can you tell Ghanaians what policies you championed or initiated as Vice-President?
47. Why were you unable to implement Free Technical and Vocational Education as we have done?
48. Why was your government unable to absorb examination registration fees for BECE and WACSSE students
49. Can you provide one coherent explanation of your 24-hour economy proposal?
50. What specific measures did you implement to combat corruption during your tenure as president?