Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia must stop begging former President John Mahama for a debate because he is a failure seeking to ride on the National Democratic Congress flagbearer’s “high stock” through a debate to revive his tumbling political fortunes, Bolgatanga Central MP Isaac Adongo has said.
Addressing his supporters on 10 July 2024 in Bunkpurugu, North East Region, Dr. Bawumia, who is the flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party, said that despite his readiness, the debate he has been asking for may not happen because Mr. Mahama, who is the flagbearer of the main opposition party, “is running away” because the former president can not explain his own policies during a debate.
“I am looking forward to a debate with John Mahama on the economy, on the country, on governance,” Dr. Bawumia said. “But I am afraid that he is running away from a debate. His people say he doesn’t want to debate. I have never heard of an opposition leader who doesn’t want to debate. But he knows I will expose the emptiness of his policies.”
“He says he has a 24-hour economy, which he can not explain. It is as empty as an empty barrel. He can not explain it, and none of his people can explain it. They say they will be exporting lions and elephants.”
“When we meet, we can debate, and the country will see where our policies lie. That is where we should go. We should give the country an opportunity to listen to us. If he chooses not to debate, I’ll continue to sell my policies,” Dr Bawumia added.
Responding to Dr Bawumia’s comments, Mr Adongo, who is an NDC MP, wrote: “JM is not in the business of turning around the failed careers of visionless and uncaring political leaders, empty braggarts and lying champions. If you believe in your leadership mettle, go and account to the good people of Ghana extempo through the press.”
Read Mr Adongo’s full article below:
Mr Isaac Adongo writes:
H.E John Dramani Mahama Can’t Debate You on Your Lies, Lack of Credibility, and Monumental Failure. You Are a Champion with No Co-Equal
Did Bawumia say he wants a debate with JM on the economy?
I was shocked to hear that Dr Bawumia (the missing-in-actiion economist) who has been an avowed enemy of good economic management pactices for 8 years, who has been trying strenuously to distance himself from their “Ghana’s worst economic management record in the 4th Republic”, who is claiming now that he was just a driver’s mate to his boss, the most reckless driver on the face of earth, suddenly now in the 8th year of their unfortunately embarrassing tenure has the effrontery to accuse someone with a far better record than them of being empty? For 8 years, you, Dr. Bawumia failed spectacularly in managing the well performing economy your incompetent team inherited.
You have been a derelict leader, doing a part-time job for more than 2 years now, gallivanting around the country on holiday chasing a quixotic presidency! Do you need a sudden debate to do your actual job of managing the economy well, for which the good people of Ghana have been paying you handsomely for years? You actually owe the good people of Ghana a refund for doing part-time work!
Do you need a debate to reverse the 54% depreciation in the value of the Cedi, the frightening fiscal position your government has plunged us in, the record of three years of consecutive negative double-digit fiscal balance, the record high inflation rates and the worst cost of living crisis our people are facing?
Are you asking for a debate to update Ghanaians that the Cedi is now selling at Ghc16 to the dollar or that a litre of diesel is Ghc15 today? Suffering Ghanaians are feeling the effects of your very poor leadership every day.
Or do you want to officially inform Ghanaians that tomatoes are now sold in pieces, not alonka, because families can’t afford tomatoes in volumes anymore? Are you not one dancing on stages around the country, celebrating without any sobriety, when Ghanaian businesses are collapsing and families have been forced by circumstances to change the meal plans to 1/2-1-0?
You have nothing of value to add in any debate, except to give us pseudo scientific origins of COVID and the history of the relationship between Ukraine and Russia! No, we don’t want to hear any more excuses about COVID and Ukraine! Let’s be serious, ok.
Can you ever defend an economic record of Ghana going into debt distress, a historic domestic and external debt restructuring, and an embarrassing junk debt ratings which has tainted the name of our country as a welfare laughing stock globally? You don’t appreciate the mess you people have caused. What are you coming to say on a debate stage? Laugh, smile, and lie extensively? Let’s be serious.
JM is not in the business of turning around the failed careers of visionless and uncaring political leaders, empty braggarts, and lying champions.
If you believe in your leadership mettle, go and account to the good people of Ghana extempo through the press.
You cannot expect to ride on JM’s high stock to resurrect your dying political career marked by failed economic management, debt distress, an insolvent BoG, record depreciation of the cedi, cost of living crisis, and a fiscal quagmire.
Go and do a meet the press to test your smoothness level.
Your so-called driver Akufo-Addo run away from the press and debate in 2020 because he had little positive to stand on. Unfortunately, four years later, you and him have magnified your monumental failures in managing our economy. So, what has changed for you to come begging for a debate? There are several other avenues, such as a meet the press for you to go and account for your monumental failures. Go and be spewing your age-old excuses about Ukraine, and you would understand the wrath of 850,000 formerly middle- class Ghanaians who have been impoverished by your irresponsible leadership. Please leave JM out of your messy and disgraceful record.
