Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has issued a challenge to his main opponent in the upcoming elections, former President John Dramani Mahama, for a debate focusing on the economy.

Dr. Bawumia emphasized that the current administration has implemented concrete and verifiable development projects, in contrast to the initiatives undertaken during the tenure of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government led by Mr. Mahama.

During a heated exchange with the NDC flagbearer at the 8th Ghana CEO Summit in Accra, the Vice President highlighted that the NPP government’s projects are not comparable to the controversial “guinea fowl” projects that were carried out under Mr. Mahama’s leadership.

This challenge from Dr. Bawumia followed criticisms from Mr. Mahama towards the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, where he claimed that Ghana had regressed into a bankrupt and collapsed state due to inadequate leadership over the past eight years.

We are all aware of our country’s current challenges and difficulties. Today, we stand at a critical and troubling crossroads, as our beloved Ghana has become a bankrupt, collapsed economy due to poor leadership over the past eight years, pushing some 8,000 of our citizens into the poverty line.

Vice President Bawumia, speaking at the CEO Summit via Zoom from Canada, swiftly responded by challenging former President Mahama to a debate on the economy and the performance of their respective governments.

He highlighted that the NPP government led by President Akufo-Addo has surpassed the NDC government under Mahama, emphasizing that the current government’s initiatives are tangible and verifiable by the public, unlike those of the previous administration.

Bawumia pointed out that the progress made by the Akufo-Addo administration not only visible but also has long-lasting effects on the country’s infrastructure and economic development.

He mentioned that these achievements have laid a strong foundation for the future development of the nation, citing various projects in healthcare, education, and infrastructure undertaken by the current administration.

The Vice President stressed that these projects were carried out based on thorough needs assessment and are positively impacting numerous communities across Ghana.

We have done over 200 projects in the area of Zongo Development across all the zongos in the country. You look at our investment in technical and vocational education, over GH¢6 billion in the last seven years.

The highest investment in TVET by any government in the Fourth Republic, and we’ve made technical and vocational education also free in that context.

You see, in terms of our development authority, there are 1,609 projects completed. And under the Northern Development Authority, it has also completed over 304 projects so far, and so we are not talking about guinea fowl projects, but real projects.