The New Patriotic Party’s presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has issued a direct challenge to former President John Mahama, urging him to engage in a live debate. The Vice President’s call for a debate came after Mahama posed a five-question challenge questioning Dr. Bawumia’s record. The move echoes Mahama’s previous tactic from the 2016 election, where he questioned then-Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur with 170 pointed inquiries.

In a response laced with criticism, Dr. Bawumia suggested that Mahama’s approach of “flimsy questions” was insufficient and invited him to a face-to-face debate. “I would have thought he would be man enough to face me in a one-on-one debate for the Ghanaian public to assess our respective policies, achievements, and visions,” Bawumia said, further asserting that Mahama should not “hide” behind questions.

Dr. Bawumia went further, presenting Mahama with a list of 50 questions covering topics from economic policies to social welfare programs, suggesting these issues were of greater substance than the ones posed by Mahama. Among the questions, he asked about Mahama’s handling of the economy, job creation, infrastructure, and social interventions, including the controversial decision to end nursing and teacher trainee allowances.

Highlights of Bawumia’s 50 Questions to Mahama

1. Social Interventions: “Can you name any broad-based social intervention policy you implemented as President?”
2. Education Policies: “Why did you run advertisements against free Senior High School (SHS)?”
3. Economic Management: “If your economic management was so effective, why did Ghana experience over four years of ‘Dumsor’ (frequent power outages)?”
4. Job Creation: “Why was your government unable to create even a quarter of the jobs that our government has?”
5. Infrastructure Development: “Why do you think our government has constructed four times more roads, hospitals, and schools than yours?”
6. Public Service: “How many nurses, teachers, police officers, and service personnel did you recruit as President?”
7. Industry Growth: “Why was overall GDP growth under your government lower than under ours?”
8. Agricultural Development: “Why was average agricultural growth (2.9%) under your administration less than half of what it is now?”

The Vice President also questioned Mahama’s handling of the banking sector, ghost workers on government payroll, digital transformation, and measures to combat corruption.

Bawumia highlighted his own achievements as Vice President, including initiatives like the Ghanacard, mobile money interoperability, the Zongo Development Fund, and the digital property address system. He challenged Mahama to outline comparable accomplishments, stating: “Can you tell Ghanaians what policies you championed or initiated as Vice-President?”

The call for a public debate comes amid Ghana’s election season, with both leaders vying to present themselves as the best choice for the country’s future. Dr. Bawumia has made it clear he believes a public debate would allow Ghanaians to directly compare the policies and accomplishments of each administration.

Whether Mahama will accept the challenge and engage in a debate remains to be seen.

Source:TheDotNews