GHANA’S ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), on Saturday, selected Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia as their candidate for the upcoming 2024 presidential election. Bawumia clinched victory in the party’s primaries by securing an impressive majority, amassing more than 61 percent of the votes cast, which amounted to nearly 200,000 ballots.
Bawumia’s closest contender in the four-way race was the controversial Member of Parliament and businessman, Kennedy Agyapong, who secured the second position. Former Agriculture Minister Owusu Afriyie Akoto and former Member of Parliament Francis Addai-Nimoh fell short in the fierce competition.
The race ahead is poised to be an intense one as Bawumia is set to go head-to-head with the opposition candidate, former President John Mahama. Mahama, who faced defeat in the 2016 and 2020 elections, is gearing up for a formidable challenge.
Anticipations are high that the 2024 election will largely revolve around the economic difficulties faced by Ghana, with the opposition accusing Bawumia of mismanaging the nation’s economy during a period marked by significant economic challenges.
Ghana, renowned for its abundant resources including cocoa, gold, and energy, has grappled with mounting debt and economic repercussions arising from the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. In a recent development, the country concluded negotiations for a second payment of $600 million on a $3bn credit deal, underscoring the paramount role of economic issues in the December 2024 election, where a successor to President Nana Akufo-Addo will be determined.
