The Dean of Accounting and Finance at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Professor Isaac Boadi, has asserted that Ghana would benefit more from having an economist serve as president rather than a communicator.
He expressed his belief in Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia’s capability to lead the nation, citing his strong background in economics, in contrast to the opposition NDC’s presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama, whom he characterized primarily as a communicator.
Let us be honest with ourselves, between an economist and a communicator, who should be handed an economy to run? The economist has the upper hand over the communicator because of his field of expertise and study.
It is about time we did away with electing people into office just for them to be speaking grammar to us when they don’t understand and cannot grasp the real issues of the economy. With Bawumia as president, we are assured of someone who understands the nuances of the economy and can better proffer measures to deal with the challenges therein. Ghana’s economy will be in a safer pair of hands with Bawumia as president.
He stated that given Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s background, there would be minimal necessity for consultations when economic matters arise. In contrast, John Mahama would need to depend on others who possess economic expertise before taking action.
Imagine a crisis looming large and you have Bawumia as president, you are assured of a better solution or preventive measures than Mahama who has no knowledge of economics. We will be gambling with the economy if we elect Mahama as president, and that, to me, is dangerous.
Let me also state this before I misconstrue that I am not saying a non-economist cannot be president, that’s not my argument, I am saying that looking at where we are coming from and where we are headed, an economist is suitable to lead Ghana than someone who is not an economist.
The leading figure of UPSA compared the Bawumia/Mahama contrast to a scenario in which a specialist is needed to occupy a specific role, yet only one candidate possesses the requisite expertise. He inquired whether the individual lacking knowledge in that area would be deemed suitable for consideration.
If you have an accounting firm and need one accountant to fill a vacant position, will you go in for someone who reads geography or psychology at the university for that job? The answer is a big No. You would rather hire an accountant. This is the kind of situation we have on our hands now. We need an economist to lead Ghana, and that person is Bawumia. A communications expert will do a poor job handling an economy.
Professor Boadi asserted that former President Mahama’s failure to recognize the complexities of economic management resulted in a significant downturn in Ghana’s economy during his administration. He urged the citizens of Ghana to support Bawumia for the presidency, citing his economic expertise among other qualifications, and cautioned against the potential error of reinstating John Mahama.
These remarks were made by Professor Isaac Boadi during his appearance on Asaase Radio’s Townhall Talk on Friday, 4 October 2024, where the discussion centered on the topic ‘Managing Ghana’s Economy; Has NPP done a decent job?’ Regarding the performance of the NPP in managing the Ghanaian economy, Professor Boadi acknowledged that while challenges have arisen, primarily due to external factors, significant progress has been made under the current administration. He expressed confidence that further advancements could be realized if the NPP remains in power.
