Mahama has no understanding of 24-hour economy – Bawumia

Vice President and flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the 2024 elections, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has taken the fight to his main opponent, John Dramani Mahama, saying after his disastrous performance as President, he has no basis to ask Ghanaians to bring him back to power.

He said the former President is going round claiming he has new ideas, when in reality, that is not the case.
Dr Bawumia said this when he addressed thousands of people in Nalerigu, the North East Regional capital on Monday, November 20, 2023.
The Vice President, who was in his home region after his victory in the NPP presidential primary had earlier called on the Nayiri, Naa Bohagu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga at his palace.

24-hour economy

Firing salvos at the former President, Dr Bawumia said, Mr Mahama misunderstands the 24-hour economy policy he has proposed.
“John Mahama says he has a new idea. What is the idea? He says he wants a 24-hour economy. He doesn’t even understand that policy. Today in Ghana, our hospitals work 24 hours, our electricity company works 24 hours, our water company works 24 hours, our fuel stations work 24 hours, and many chop bars work 24 hours. Today because of digitalisation, you can transfer money 24 hours, you can receive money 24 hours. So he doesn’t understand his own policy. It doesn’t make sense.”

Disastrous presidency

Stating that Mr Mahama is going around the country and speaking to people as if he has never been President before, Dr Bawumia added, “ When we were suffering under his Presidency, he told us he was a dead goat. A dead goat who had no feelings. Today he wants to resurrect and become a live goat.”
“Suddenly he has all the solutions to our problems. But when he was President, what solutions did he bring to Ghana? Did he solve the unemployment problem? Did he create jobs? Did he tackle corruption? Did he issue Ghana cards? Did he build astro turfs? Did he abolish the three months pay policy for teachers? Did he establish Free SHS? He had no solutions to our problems.”

‘I bring new vision’

Saying that even as Vice President, his records have been solid, Dr Bawumia stated, “I have not yet become President but I, as a Vice President, have brought solutions to many of our problems.
“ So I want you to vote for me in 2024 because I will bring a new vision, I will bring a new policy. Mahama is the past, Dr Bawumia is the future. “
Giving details of some of the work he has done as Vice President, Dr Bawumia said, “We did not have a unique identity so I championed the government’s policy for the Ghanacard. Today we have 17 million people issued with tje Ghanacard. Today, because of my proposal, we have no guarantor for student loan if you have a Ghanacard. Today Ghana has a digital property address system because we had a problem of no functional address.”
He added: “Before, you could not transfer money between one teleco to another. But today, because of mobile money interoperability, you can transfer money from Vodafone to mtn, to airtle tigo. Before, you could not transfer money between a bank account and a mobile account. Today you can do that. Today, you can renew the National Health Insurance on your mobile phone.”
“Today, you can sit at home and buy electricity credit on your mobile phone. Today we have brought zipline drones and they are delivering medicines to 2700 hospitals and clinics across the country.”
“Today, we have one constituency, one ambulance. And another idea I brought is Agenda 111. We are building hospitals in districts without hospitals. Other ideas I brought are Zongo Development Fund and Gold for Oil policy. Today you can aquire drivers license and passport online. Today you can file your taxes online.”