GHANA’S Vice President Mahamadu Bawumia officially launched his presidential campaign on Wednesday, articulating his vision to revitalise the nation’s economy and combat corruption if elected president in December. The 60-year-old economist, who secured the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential candidacy in November, is set to face off against former President John Mahama in what promises to be a closely contested race.
Addressing enthusiastic supporters at the University of Professional Studies in Accra, Bawumia expressed his readiness to assume leadership, stating, ‘I want to build a Ghana where we leverage technology, data, and systems for inclusive economic growth’
Acknowledging the daunting challenges ahead, particularly Ghana’s struggle to recover from its worst economic crisis in a generation, Bawumia outlined his strategy to address fiscal deficits and interest rates. ‘To sustainably reduce the budget deficit and interest rates, my government will enhance fiscal discipline,’ he asserted, pledging to implement measures to align national spending with revenue.
Ghana’s economy, heavily reliant on oil, gold, and cocoa production, has been severely impacted by the economic fallout from Covid-19 and external factors such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, prompting the nation to seek a $3bn bailout from the IMF.
However, Bawumia’s presidential aspirations face scrutiny due to his association with the economic policies implemented during the presidency of Nana Akufo-Addo, who is constitutionally mandated to step down in January 2025 after serving two terms.
Bright Simons, a vice president at Accra-based think tank IMANI Africa, commented on the potential ramifications of Ghana’s economic challenges on Bawumia’s leadership, cautioning that ‘a failing economy threatens the very foundation of his leadership of the ruling party.’ He told Reuters: ‘There is no such thing as a former economic messiah.’
Despite the historical favourability of ruling parties in Ghanaian presidential races, concerns persist among citizens like 22-year-old student Harrison Abdulai, who lamented the harsh economic realities facing many Ghanaians. ‘Bawumia is one vice president who has gotten himself involved in governance the most (in Ghana) and so he’s responsible for everything,’ Abdulai told Reuters, underscoring the weight of public expectations on Bawumia’s candidacy.
Notably, Bawumia’s candidacy marks a milestone as he becomes the first Muslim to lead a major party in Ghana since 1992 and the first individual outside the dominant Akan-speaking ethnic group to helm the NPP, signalling a shift in the country’s political landscape.