Mahama Won’t Debate Bawumia to Repair His 'Injured' Reputation

Hon David T.D Vondee, Member of Parliament for Twifo Atti Morkwa, has asserted that John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), would not debate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Vondee claims that this is to avoid giving Bawumia a platform to revive his career, which Vondee alleges is marred by perceived dishonesty and incompetence.

This statement follows a challenge by Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who suggested a debate between Mahama and Bawumia as a means for Mahama to expose the government’s failures.

However, in an interview with EXPRESSNEWSGHANA, Hon. Vondee countered that Bawumia’s tenure as Vice President has been marked by a lack of credibility and perceived untruthfulness.

Vondee questioned why President Akufo-Addo avoided debating Mahama in the 2020 elections, implying it could have been due to a lack of preparation or fear of being exposed.

He challenged Bawumia to meet him for a debate or to meet the press, as Mahama has done, to account for his actions instead of seeking a debate to revive his career.

“In 2016, Dr. Bawumia was giving lectures on the economy, claiming to know everything about it. Again, in 2020, why wasn’t Akufo-Addo prepared to meet John Mahama in a debate? And now you are calling for a debate after you’ve messed up your career, using John Mahama to resurrect it,” Vondee remarked.

“If you believe you are better and have done well, John Mahama met the press even as an opposition leader. Why are you not meeting the press? Let them ask you questions, go and account to the press.”

Vondee also described the 2024 mid-year budget presented by the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, as uninspiring and a waste of time.

The Finance Minister indicated that the government does not intend to request additional money in the mid-year budget, stating that they will remain within the appropriation for 2024, focusing on efficiency and fiscal consolidation.

However, Vondee criticized the government for not cancelling some taxes to boost business confidence. “This mid-year review leaves many people disappointed and uninspired. It offers no hope to ordinary Ghanaians that anything will change the unbearable hardships they face,” he said.

He pointed out that in the past eight years, the Akufo-Addo and Bawumia administration has burdened Ghanaian businesses and individuals with high taxes, including the E-levy, COVID levy, an effective VAT rate of 22%, a betting tax, a sanitation levy, high taxes on petroleum products, an emission levy, high import duties, burdensome fees and charges across all sectors, and over 40 new taxes.

“These burdensome taxes have made Ghana unattractive for investment, causing many businesses to relocate to countries like Togo and Ivory Coast. As a result, Ghana has lost numerous job opportunities,” Vondee concluded.