Bawumia hits back: If I do everything now, what will I do when I come into office?
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President of Ghana and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, has addressed criticisms regarding his inability to fulfil certain campaign promises while in office.
Responding to concerns raised by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, Dr. Bawumia explained that his role as Vice President does not grant him full control over government actions, limiting his capacity to implement key reforms.
During a recent media engagement, Dr. Bawumia pointed out that while he has proposed significant tax reforms, such as tax amnesty, flat rate tax, and import duties, the authority to execute these initiatives lies with the President, not the Vice President. He emphasized that his ideas are reserved for his future presidency, where he plans to exercise the full executive powers required to bring these proposals to life.
Drawing a comparison with former President John Mahama, Dr. Bawumia noted that even with full presidential authority, Mahama was unable to accomplish all his goals during his tenure. He argued that this highlights the importance of having a manifesto to introduce fresh and innovative ideas when seeking the presidency.
“I must have a manifesto, otherwise if I do everything now, if I could, what would I do when I come into office? How can you do everything now? Even former President Mahama who was President, I’m only a Vice President, why didn’t he do everything then? Why is he coming back? He had full authority, I don’t have full authority.
“The budget that has gone to Parliament, which has been passed, is not my budget, is it my budget? It’s not my budget. The budget goes in the name of the President, it doesn’t go in the name of the Vice President.
“But when you have to think about what new you want to do, you come up with new ideas, and I have come up with new ideas which I want to do when we come into office.”
Dr. Bawumia further clarified that the current budget passed by Parliament is not his, as it represents the President’s vision, not the Vice President’s. He stressed that anyone aspiring to lead, whether in Ghana or globally, must present new ideas and a clear vision for their leadership.
“Just as Kamala Harris or any other vice-presidential candidate must do, I am laying out my plans for the future,” Dr. Bawumia stated, reinforcing his commitment to delivering on his promises when elected as President.
