Issues arising out of Dr Bawumia's accident at Bole

It is unfortunate Dr Muhamadu Bawumia, the 2012 Vice-Presidential candidate of NPP had an accident on the Bole-Bamboi road. Most Ghanaian media reported he was returning to Kumasi after attending the funeral of a late Bolewura (Bole Chief). On the contrary he went to witness the coronation of a new Bolewura.

The late Bolewura Seidu Amankwah Gbeadese II was perceived to be NDC and so his funeral was highly represented by NDC members including the President John Dramani Mahama, NDC General Secretary Asiedu Nketia nad many others. Reading his tribute at the funeral, the President disclosed that his association with the late Bolewura positively influenced him and that he served his mentor, advisor and above all guardian. The President said throughout his political career, the late Bolewura was a source of inspiration and a pillar. He said at times he contemplated resigning from politics but the late Bolewura advised him against it. The new Bolewura James Adam Mahama (now Bolewura Awuladese Pontonporon II) on the other hand was a kingpin of the Danquah-Dombo-Busia political tradition in the Bole area. He was a former Progress Party (PP) MP for West Gonja (now Bole/Bamboi, Sawla/Tuna/Kalba, Damongo and Daboya/Mankarigu) from 1969 to 1972. The NPP therefore fully participated in his coronation and among those attending was Dr Bawumia, National Chairman, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, National Womens organiser, Otiko Afisah Djaba and many others.

The conspiracy theories about Dr Bawumia’s accident are simply absurd and sickening!!

The General Secretary of the NPP, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie has said that National Security officials are behind the plot to assassinate Dr Bawumia. He suspects the security officials had tampered with the tires of a brand new vehicle on which Dr Bawumia was travelling.

Where did the tampering take place? Perhaps Bole. Where was the driver? To me the driver after dropping Bawumia must be in the car till his boss is ready to move again. On the other hand how can an prominent politician like Bawumia be moving round without taking security precautions? The fact that Dr Bawumia was riding in a brand new 4x4 landcrusher vehicle dos not a guarantee that he cannot get a tire burst. At this time of the year in the North, the weather is very hot and so that could hotten up the tarred road resulting in the tires heating up and bursting. Moreover every tire has the maximum speed it can go. Did the driver of Dr Bawumia go beyond the maximum speed he is supposed to go? These are some of the questions the NPP General Secretary should be asking instead of drawing hasty conclusions. I have also heard the NPP General Secretary say “I know how the spokes of the umbrella pierce tires of vehicles”. The question is did someone use the spokes of the umbrella to flatten the tires of Bawumia's moving vehicle? I have even heard Dr Bawumia did hug a brother of President Mahama called Adam Mahama at Bole shortly before leaving the town and someone believes it has a correlation to the accident. This is simply absurd. Another interesting theory from a known NPP activist in Bole is that there was some form of spirituality in Bawumia's accident. According to him cows were buried alive in Bole to kill Nana Akufo-Addo and that was the reason he never came to Bole throughout his 2012 campaign tour.

He said even when Nana Akufo-Addo never showed up in Bole, but rather went to Bamboi and immediately after visited Kumasi for a rally, his platform caved in. The question is: Are the gods of Bole more powerful than the gods of Kyebi if we are to go by this theory?

Sometimes I wonder why some politicians just talk without doing an examination or assessment of what happened before coming out with their views and opinions? It is only in Ghana that an accident will befall a prominent politician and the Police are not called to do their work independently but a General secretary of a political party will conclude the cause and suspects involve.

There is no life that is more precious than the other. Every now and then, accidents occur and people lost their precious ones. What is new about Dr. Bawumia being involved in an accident? Former Presidents of Ghana, Jerry Rawlings John Agyekum Kufour and many others had accidents in this country? Has someone read meanings into that?

God save Ghana.

By Mahama Haruna.