The 2016 vice presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, says the 7 year tenure of the ruling National Democratic Congress government has been marked by a combination of incompetence and corruption, resulting in the “wahala” the people of Ghana are facing under their tenure in office.

According to Dr. Bawumia, Ghana would have been ten times better off under an Akufo-Addo led NPP government, considering the vast amount of resources that have been made available to the Mahama government, which all appear to have been mismanaged and dissipated.

Addressing party faithful at Nkawkaw, on the “Rise and Build Tour”, Dr. Bawumia stated that the 7-year NDC government, from 2009, has received tax revenue 5 times the total tax revenue the NPP received in 8 years under President Kufuor. Additionally, record export revenues from cocoa and gold over the 7-year period, coupled with the $3 billion in oil revenues, points to a government that has received resources like no other in the 58-year history of Ghana.

In addition to the revenues, the NPP vice presidential candidate stated that since 1990, no country has accumulated debt like Ghana has.

“When the NDC came into office, Ghana’s total debt level was GH¢9.5 billion. It is now GH¢90.5 billion, in just 7 years. This government will end this year with a debt level at over GH¢110 billion,” Dr. Bawumia revealed.

He continued, “With these amounts of resources, we should have seen a massive accumulation of infrastructure to match it. But what do we see? We can’t pay teacher and nursing trainee allowances. All statutory payments – NHIS, District Assembly Common Fund, GETFund, etc – are in arrears. What have they used the money for?

Quoting from the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, (IMF), Christine Lagarde, who revealed that the chunk of the loans contracted by Ghana have been used for recurrent and not capital expenditure, Dr. Bauwmia stated that it comes as no surprise that the signature projects (Sofoline, Kwame Nkrumah Circle and Kasoa Interchanges, Kpong Water Works, Upper West Regional Hospital, etc) put up by the Mahama government to justify the GH¢90.5 billion debt accrued, only amount to GH¢3.5 billion.

“What then have they used the money for? Where is the prudent management we are looking for in the country? If each region was given $2 billion, you would have seen massive infrastructural development. $1 billion can give a region over 1,000 kilometres in tarred roads. An NPP government would have done 10 times what the NDC is doing with these resources,” he said.

According to Dr Bawumia, President Mahama’s government, evident in the economic mess Ghana finds herself in, has been characterised by incompetence mixed with corruption.

He was, however, hopeful of a return of Ghana onto the progress and prosperity under an Akufo-Addo government.

“I am confident in the leadership of Nana Akufo-Addo. We will build the most people and business friendly country in Africa. People are suffering and businesses are suffering, and we can change it. An Akufo-Addo government will change the fortunes of Ghana. We will put in place measures to stabilise the Cedi. Businesses need certainty to plan, and we will put that in place. Manufacturing and production will be key under an Akufo-Addo government, because when we produce we will be prosperous,” Dr Bawumia said.

All these good plans, he noted, can only be put in place when the NPP wins power.

“We first have to win power and I am urging you to work hard to bring Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP back in office to bring progress and prosperity to the millions of Ghanaians who are crying for change,” he concluded.