Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Nsuta-Kwaman Beposo, Hon Kwame Asafo-Adjei has challenged the Vice President His Excellency Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia not to pick forms to contest the NPP Flagbeaership position because he lacks credibility.
According to him, in as much as everybody is eligible and qualified to pick nomination forms and contest the flagbearership position of the party, the onus lies on each of the candidates to examine themselves to see if, when elected to contest, the larger Ghanaian populace will vote for him to become the next president.
Hon Kwame Asafo-Adjei said that, the Vice President Bawumia has lost that confidence in the people since he failed the people and has no message for the people.
“…After delegates elected you to be the flagbearer of the party, the question is if you are credible enough to win the votes of the people. Check yourself, what message do you have for the people of Ghana.”
According to him, he has a problem with the Vice President who has also declared his intention to contest the race, saying that the Vice President was brough in by President Akufo-Addo to fulfil a specific mandate which he failed woefully.
He said, the reasons President Akufo-Addo chose Bawumia as his Vice, was to help stabilize the economy of the country, since at the time the currency was not good, particularly with the Cedi which was at 4 to 1.
“President Akufo-Addo brought him to assist him to stabilize the Cedi and make it better than what he inherited. So, the Vice President was given that responsibility. The President had that confidence in him. Now that he is coming to pick his forms like any other person, was the mandate the President gave him achieved? Has the economy gone down well?
Hon Kwame Asafo-Adjei also enumerated that Dr. Bawumia himself made a lot of promises; including ensuring that Ghana will not go to the IMF to borrow because the “money is here.” Now our opponents are accusing and laughing at us that we have even borrowed more than necessary.
“Bawumia said, we won’t borrow to construct roads, now road constructors are not being paid, we won’t go IMF, we haven’t heard of him, the money has come and we are still yet to hear from him.”
He said, if he is one of Bawumia’s advisors he would have advised him against picking the forms to contest the primaries.
Hon Kwame Asafo-Adjei cited the Gold for Oil initiative which he said is a policy initiative by the Vice President which failed because it brought inflation, it is a policy that is not feasible, hence the withdrawal of the Bank of Ghana from the whole deal.
He indicated that, BoG withdrawal from the Gold for Oil deal is ample evidence of the failure of the deal and indicated that, fuel reduction currently being experienced is not as result of Gold for Oil.
He also claimed that the Gold for Oil policy brough huge debt to the nation hence the withdrawal of BoG, calling for an investigation into the whole deal.
“…So, if the vice president picks form to contest, what would our opponents say? It is important to note that those who are not into active politics, those who will consider your performance and your promises and how you have achieved them, will determine who wins the elections at the end.”
He said the delegates of the party are sending a candidate to the Ghanaian market to be voted for and the question is whether he (candidate) is marketable.
Hon Kwame Asafo-Adjei lauded Allan Kyeremanteng for doing a lot in his personal capacity to boost the Ghanaian economy.
He recounted the Kufuor regime when Allan Kyeremanteng was able to secure a 500 million Dollar Grant from the Millennium Challenge Account, ensuring trade surplus, boost the automobile industry, gave a head up to the pharmaceutical companies, among others.
He said, Allan’s contribution to the economy of the country is “huge” and for that matter the right person to lead the NPP in the coming elections.
