Lecturer: NPP'II Struggle To Defend Bawumia Than Kyerematen's Record

Jonathan Asante Otchere, a lecturer in political science at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in the Central Region, has stated that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) will have a difficult time defending the records of Vice President Mahamadu Bawumia if he emerges as the party's candidate for the 2024 general elections.

The task of defending the records of former trades minister Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, should he emerge as the party's candidate, will be relatively simpler, according to him, because Dr. Bawumia has, over the years, made nothing but exaggerations.

He stated that the vice president's popularity did not reflect his performance in office.

Mr. Okyere clarified that the vice president's record has been tainted by the economic mismanagement that has occurred under his leadership as head of the Economic Management Team (EMT).

"Dr. Bawumia should have ensured that the economy did not deteriorate in order to use it as a launching pad for his bid for the presidency," he suggested.

''Some of us believed that the president is a pure politician, while the vice president is an economist,'' he noted, adding that the vice president ended up spreading so many falsehoods and exaggerating his statements.

"What has transpired with the economy is not something the vice president can be proud of, especially after being called the economic 'whiz kid,'" he added.

"NPP lacks credibility and has lost the moral authority to continue to govern this country, and Dr. Bawumia shares this sentiment," he asserted.

"The NPP does not know what message they will send to Ghanaians regarding the economy," he stated.

Mr. Okyere made this assertion in response to the vice president's announcement to the majority caucus that he would run for president.

The university professor appeared on Accra 100.5 FM's evening newscast on May 3, 2023.

Regarding the economic administration, Mr. Kyerematen, but not the vice president, can exonerate himself, according to him.

According to him, Dr. Bawumia has failed in his professed area of expertise and has shifted his focus to digitalization.

"What is the role of digitalisation in the fight against corruption?" Mr. Okyere questioned, adding, "The vice president continues to champion digitalisation, and the country continues to lose GHS27 million to corruption."