The National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has issued a strongly-worded response to the call by Kofi Bentil, a Vice President of IMANI Africa, for Ghanaians to give Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia a shot at the presidency.

In a post shared on X on February 4, 2024, Sammy Gyamfi refuted the claim by Kofi Bentil that Dr Bawumia, the Flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), cannot be blamed for the current economic mess in Ghana because he plays only an advisory rule.

Sammy Gyamfi stressed that it was the same President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who had earlier stated categorically that his choice of Bawumia as vice president was because of his economic competencies, praising him (Bawumia) when the economy was in good shape.

He added that Dr Bawumia, when he was in opposition, seemed to have all the solutions to Ghana's economic problems but now - nearly 8 years on under his leadership as the Head of Ghana’s Economic Management Team, the country has been in shambles.

He added that he does not understand how Kofi Bentil is asking Ghanaians to make Bawumia president.

“What do you take Ghanaians for Mr. Bentil? Some zombies? It is a fact that your new Boss Bawumia, is responsible for the unprecedented economic mess Ghanaians are currently faced with. No amount of political subterfuge can change this fact.

“Accept this truth and spare yourself the ordeal of trying to whitewash a failed and discredited economic messiah, who has proven to be hopelessly empty and pathetically dishonest. This agenda of yours is dead on arrival ('yaamutu'), try another one please,” Sammy Gyamfi wrote.

The NDC communications officer asked Kofi Bentil why he and other proponents of the NPP continue to praise the vice president for the achievement of the government but want to exonerate him when it comes to the challenges.

“If that were so, why do you and other NPP surrogates continue to give Bawumia credit for the Agenda 111 initiative, the Drone delivery system, government’s so-called digitalization initiatives, among others?

"Can you tell us why President Akufo-Addo in his 2018 SONA, lauded Bawumia’s “stellar leadership” of the Economic Management Team and credited him for what he described as positive economic results at the time?”

What Kofi Bentil said:

Kofi Bentil justified his support for the New Patriotic Party presidential candidate for the 2024 general election, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

In a Facebook post dated February 3, 2023, the lawyer argued a number of reasons why Bawumia deserves the opportunity to serve as president having served the last seven years as vice to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Comparing Dr Bawumia’s case to former President John Dramani Mahama, the presidential candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Kofi Bentil alluded to the principle of fair hearing, noting that Mr Mahama some years ago was given the chance by the Ghanaian electorate when he contested the presidency having served as vice president.

“Every man deserves a fair hearing. We gave Prez Mahama a chance to be President, the least we can do is give Dr Bawumia a fair and objective hearing. He is not President, and has never been President! I have no doubt he will be better!” he stated.

He further argued on the limitations of the vice president position emphasising the little opportunities given to the president’s deputy to make an actual impact.

“The VP position in Ghana, apart from standing in when the president is away (and he can’t make any serious decisions), it is totally powerless! he is like an advisor! There’s a good reason Kwame Nkrumah refused to have a Vice President!

“Indeed the Minister of Finance has more constitutional power than the VP in managing our finances and the EMT has zero power to effect its decisions. They advise the President who acts through his ministers!” he emphasised.

Read Sammy Gyamfi’s full statement below:

Dear Kofi Bentil,

I just read your write-up calling on Ghanaians to give Bawumia a hearing, ahead of his needless and useless lecture, scheduled for 7th February.

For your information, Ghanaians gave Bawumia ample hearing in 2016, when he held countless lectures and fora, to… pic.twitter.com/laHCfyPBGW

— Sammy Gyamfi (@SammyGyamfi_) February 4, 2024