The National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, has posed five pointed questions to Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who is also the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate for the 2024 elections.
Mahama’s questions centre on critical economic challenges, addressing issues such as the cedi’s exchange rate, Ghana’s rising national debt, soaring inflation, the government’s borrowing practices, and Dr. Bawumia’s recent emphasis on digitalisation over direct economic management.
Drawing a parallel, Mahama noted that as the NPP’s vice-presidential candidate, Dr. Bawumia had previously posed 170 questions to then-Vice President Paa Kwasi Amissah-Arthur regarding the state of the economy.
Now, Mahama is urging Dr. Bawumia to bring similar transparency and accountability by addressing the current pressing economic issues.
“He used to give lectures every month about how to run an economy, and how to fix the economy. He posed 170 questions to my Vice President Amissah Arthur. He should go and answer the 170 questions himself. Indeed, he shouldn’t answer 170 questions. He should answer only three questions.
”Question 1, he should come and answer. Why is the exchange rate GH¢17 to the dollar?
“Question 2, why has Ghana’s debt risen from GH¢120 billion to GH¢767 billion in eight years? He should come and answer.
“Question 3, why did inflation rise to where it is at 54% under your administration for eight years?
“Then let me add two more. Question 4, why did you borrow GH¢42 billion from the Bank of Ghana? He should come and answer those questions. We don’t need 170 questions. With the 170, if he wants, he can answer them himself. But Ghanaians are asking him four questions.
“He should come and answer those four questions and explain to Ghanaians why we are where we are. The last question is why has he run away from the economy to digitalisation? He used to be talking a lot about the economy. Today he can’t mention the economy, it’s not in his vocabulary.
“Anytime he opens his mouth, digitalisation. Come and talk about the economy. That’s question five. Five questions. Tell him you should come and answer them,” he stated.