Former President John Dramani Mahama, has warned that a vote for Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in the upcoming election is effectively a vote for a third term of the Akufo-Addo administration.
Framing Bawumia’s candidacy as an extension of the current government, Mahama urged citizens to reject what he described as a “failed regime” at the polls.
Mahama criticized the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration, attributing Ghana’s current economic and social crises to their mismanagement. “This government has emptied the public purse and failed to protect Ghanaians from soaring poverty and unprecedented hardship,” Mahama said, referencing reports that 870,000 people have fallen below the poverty line in recent years, with an additional 1.7 million classified as multidimensionally poor.
Prez. Mahama asserted that a victory for Bawumia would only further entrench the policies and approaches that he claims have weakened Ghana’s institutions, promoted corruption, and eroded democratic freedoms. He underscored that Bawumia, having served as vice president under Akufo-Addo, has been directly involved in key decisions and policies that have led to Ghana’s current challenges.
Reflecting on rising national debt, Mahama noted that under Akufo-Addo and Bawumia, the debt has escalated from GHS 120 billion in 2016 to GHS 767 billion in 2024. Additionally, he referenced alleged corruption scandals such as the Agyapa Royalties deal and the COVID-19 spending controversies, pointing to these as examples of financial mismanagement and a lack of accountability that have plagued the administration.
Prez. Mahama also criticized the administration for compromising Ghana’s democratic institutions and values, including the judiciary and security services, and claimed that media freedom has been severely curtailed under their watch. The former president stated that the last eight years have seen a decline in democratic trust and freedoms, arguing that a Bawumia presidency would only prolong this decline.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Ebenezer Madugu