We’ll rather borrow ideas than borrow money
by Kofi Ayim
The Vice Presidential candidate of the largest opposition political party in Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu has remarked that an NPP government would prefer to borrow ideas from the best brains to resolve Ghana’s dire socio-economic situation instead of going aborrowing. Dr. Bawumia drove home this point at a get-together with the New Jersey Chapter of the New Patriotic Party April 5 at Scotch Plains, New Jersey. He said Dumsor – the erratic on-and-off supply of electricity – is in its third year and the impact on the economy of the country is an open book for all to see. He pointed out that the government of Ghana owes the Volta River Authority (VRA) some GHC1 billion and about GHC700 million to the Electricity Corporation of Ghana (ECG), hence the country’s inability to adequately import crude oil. The renowned economist wondered aloud the rationale behind a 10-year deal with Turkey to resolve a two-year problem. Dr. Bawumia, described as an enterprising, rising star in his party said that the 2016 elections is a “must win” for the NPP, otherwise “it would be difficult to win another election, and posterity would not forgive us.”
He added that the NPP has undertaken comprehensive analysis of past elections and is mapping out strategies, especially in “battle ground constituencies” to come out victorious. “We learned major lessons in the past elections and so we are going to policethe system” he charged. “How do you get zero votes in a polling station, where at least there are supposed to be five of your own polling agents? He asked rhetorically. He promised the enthusiastic gathering that NPP’s presence would be felt in all 10 regions of Ghana and no stone would be left unturned on D-day. He said serious electoral reforms are needed in Ghana, and in fact the NPP has called for a new electoral register. He added that the current register in which the number of registered voters is not commensurate with the population is simply unacceptable. Dr. Bawumia said the NPP won the 2012 elections but was not declared victors.
He emphasized that the 2016 campaign and elections would be data-driven, and called on the NPP in the Diaspora to get involved in any way possible. He called for the cessation of internal differences and dissentions in the NPP to enable the party harness resources for a just cause. He suggested that the konkonsa industry within the NPP would be a thing of the past once a campaign teamis put together and hits the ground running. An earlier event was held in New York April 4, at the Ghanatta Hall, Bronx.