Ruling On Election Trial Taught NPP A Lesson On How To Re-strategize – Dr Bawumia
The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, today did a sober reflection on events immediately after the 2016 elections and admitted that they have been a blessing.
The renowned economist who was referring specifically to the Supreme Court ruling on the 2016 election petition trial said that even though it was painful because his party lost the battle in court it thought the leadership a great lesson.
“We won the election but lost the battle in court but it thought us lesson. It gave us the motivation to re-strategize as a party.”
Dr. Bawumia who invoked a lot of memories with the historic trial, was engaged in a hearty yet incisive, live interview with Oheneba Nana Asiedu on Wontumi TV/Radio in Kumasi on Monday made a quick reference to the phrase that became synonymous with the trial, “…You and I were not there!”as he reminisced about an event that dominated the political space in the greater part of 2013.
He continued that, “The re-strategizing posturing of the NPP after the trial outcome gave us the victory in the 2016 elections. It is a lesson well learnt because it prepared us to face the realities as they unfolded.”
Dr. Bawumia described his relationship with the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as one guided by trust.
“Our chemistry enjoins us to work in an environment of trust. Nana Addo is a very loyal person who is passionate about the welfare of Ghanaians and the advancement of the country.
According to Dr Bawumia, his priority is to support Nana Addo to win the election and recalled that he joined politics as a novice and had to be mentored by the President who encouraged him after breaking the news to him personally.
“I had then returned from the US where I had been teaching for about 20 years when he called me to his office with a request that I should be his Running mate. This in August 2008, three months ahead of the crucial elections .” Dr. Bawumia recalled.
The Vice President who recently attracted the headlines for putting up a two bedroom apartment as a gift to an aged homeless leper said the gesture explains how he and his boss understand politics.
“In Ghana, we have a a culture of each being the other’s keeper so if God blesses you with wealth it is for a purpose and that is, to let the needy benefit from it.”
Dr Bawumia looked at the Ghanaian culture of giving within the context of the human-centred policies of the NPP government.
“The decision of the Party to initiate the free SHS is borne out of the urgent need to let all Ghanaians particularly, children, our future leaders, to benefit from the national wealth.” He explained.
He continued that the introduction of the free SHS in 2017 immediately after the election was a very bold decision for the government to take.
Shedding more light on the benefits of the free SHS concept, Dr. Bawumia noted that Ghanaians are going to make a huge gain from the programme in the next five to 10 years.
“Nana Addo threw the issue of the practicability of introducing the free SHS in the first year of his administration to the Economic Management team of the government and when we listened to the Minister of Education, Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh and his Deputy, Hon Yaw Osei Adutwum, we were convinced that things would work out.” He said.
However, according to Dr Bawumia what became the biggest challenge was the lack of adequate on-campus accommodation for the fresh beneficiaries.
“The credit still goes to the Education Minister and his Vice who did a thorough search and came out with a solution and that is how the Double Track System came into being to save a dire situation. But with the ongoing aggressive expansion of the SHS infrastructure it will soon be phased out.”He told Oheneba Nana Asiedu on an exclusive interview programme transmitted live on a number of partner stations across the country.
Dr.Bawumia described the free SHS “as the biggest social intervention programme in Ghana since independence.”
The Vice President’s studio interview programme formed part of the activities lined up for him as part of his official four day duty tour of the Region which kicked off on Sunday with a courtesy call on the Asantehene, Otumfuor Osei Tutu.