2024 general election will be based on the government’s performance – Bawumia

According to Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, Ghanaians’ support for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2024 general election will be based on the government’s performance to date.

He contends that it is preferable to evaluate politicians not by what they say but rather by what they actually did to address issues when given the chance to hold office.

Speaking at the NPP International Women’s Conference in London, the Vice President said that during the NPP’s tenure in office, the country has experienced numerous firsts in Ghanaian history.

“While recognizing at the same time there is always room for improvement. We have not had it all rosy and delivered everything that we set out to do from our day of initiation into office. But the setbacks notwithstanding, we have produced a solid track record of achievements.

“Fellow Patriots, as we gather like this in our colourful blue, white and red dresses and paraphernalia, one thing occupies our mind – how to position our party in a manner that engenders hope, trust and confidence, both in ourselves and the larger Ghanaian community. Seven years ago, we were given a mandate to oversee the governance of our country Ghana through a resounding victory. Four years later, our mandate was renewed,” Mr. Bawumia stated.

“We seek to do what has never happened in our country before by breaking the eight-year cycle of democratic political rule,” he added, echoing the chant of the majority of the audience. Due to our performance, we are firmly sure that, by God’s grace, we will be able to accomplish this.

However, the Vice President described some of the challenges their government has faced.

“As those of you in the UK and other European countries are keenly aware, in the last couple of years the whole world has been hit mainly by two major external forces and Ghana has been no exception.

“The Covid-19 pandemic affected global supply chains and the response put a burden on public finances. The war between Russia and Ukraine hit fertilizer and grain prices, among others, and increased the prices of commodities back home. Inflation, exchange rate depreciation and debt levels globally hit a 40 year high as countries scrambled to cope with the impact on lives and livelihoods. In Ghana, inflation increased from 12.9% in December 2021 to 54% by December 2022 with an attendant depreciation of the Ghana cedi by 30% in 2022,” Bawumia said.

He claimed that the COVID and Russia-Ukraine crises struck at a time when the government was still working through some significant inherited problems.

In example, the power purchase agreements the previous administration made ultimately resulted in excess energy capacity payments that we inherited. As I mentioned last year, as the World Bank has also only lately done, these contracts are foolish and have disastrous ramifications. Over the past six years, we have been required to pay around $1 billion per year for power that we did not use under these PPAs.

“The Covid-19 pandemic affected global supply chains and the response put a burden on public finances. The war between Russia and Ukraine hit fertilizer and grain prices, among others, and increased the prices of commodities back home. Inflation, exchange rate depreciation and debt levels globally hit a 40 year high as countries scrambled to cope with the impact on lives and livelihoods. In Ghana, inflation increased from 12.9% in December 2021 to 54% by December 2022 with an attendant depreciation of the Ghana cedi by 30% in 2022,” Mr. Bawumia stated.

According to him, these crises (COVID and Russia-Ukraine) came at a time when the government was yet to fully recover from some major challenges inherited.

“In particular, we inherited excess energy capacity payments resulting from power purchase agreements entered into by the previous government. I said last year, and the World Bank has also recently pointed out the reckless nature and the catastrophic implications of these contracts. Under these PPAs we have been required to pay some $1 billion annually for power we did not consume over the last six years.

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com