A senior member of the Mahamudu Bawumia flagbearership bid in the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akomea had a hard time defending his principal over his economic record.
Akomea whiles appearing on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana show rejected the claims that Bawumia had failed in managing the economy explaining that the Economic Management Team he leads was answerable to cabinet and the president.
“The Economic Management Team (EMT) works up to the cabinet. They don’t have any power to do anything. It is not even in the Constitution. The Vice President’s role is officially assigned to him in Article 60 (1).
“So, this business about he is in charge of the economy and has failed won’t wash,” he submitted to rebut North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s critique of Bawumia as a Vice President and flagbearer hopeful.
A question was sent into the show by a senior member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Kakra Essamuah, who sought clarity on the powerlessness that Akomea was subjecting the EMT to.
“What is Nana Akomea saying about Bawumia’s role in the economy. Why did Dr. Bawumia pose 170 questions to Amissah Arthur?” Essamuah’s text read.
In responding to the question, Akomea said: “Bawumia (in 2016) was a running mate and Amissah-Arthur was a Vice President… and also he (Bawumia) posed questions to John Mahama.
But he was cornered by host Randy Abbey and Ablakwa who insisted that Bawumia was head of EMT as expressly assigned him by president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Ablakwa added that the same Bawumia had touted the EMT on campaigns as a “solid team.”
He also suggested that Bawumia “has been answering the questions,” which triggered two quick questions. Host Randy Abbey asked “Has he spoken about DDEP,” in reference to the Domestic Debt Exchange, whiles Ablakwa followed up with another, “and the IMF bailout?”
“Don’t come and beat me,” Akomea responded as the three discussants broke into an extended laughter. Akomea recomposed and insisted that Bawumia as EMT chairman was by and large accountable to the president.