Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, NPP Vice-Presidential Candidate, has stated that there is nothing anyone can do to stop the wind of change and that in 216 days, Nana Akufo-Addo will be President-elect of Ghana, God willing.

“There is little anyone can do to stop change. Change cannot be stopped and it cannot be delayed and in 216 days, Nana Akufo-Addo will be the President-elect, Insha Allah", he said.

Dr. Bawumia was speaking to students of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa, at the Tarkwa Roman Catholic Parish Hall, after authorities in the University stopped the Vice-Presidential Candidate from addressing the students on the Campus, despite granting permission for the forum to be held there earlier on.

Speaking on the reckless management of the economy, Dr. Bawumia explained that the NDC had added over a GHc100 billion to Ghana’s debt stock in seven years and three months.

“In the last seven years alone under this NDC government Ghana’s total debt has ballooned from GHc9.5billion to GHc97 billion by the end of 2015 and GHc111 billion by the end of March 2016! What is clear is that over 90% (i.e. GHc101.5 billion) of Ghana’s total debt since independence has been accumulated under this NDC government between 2009-2015 i.e. the last seven years and three months,” he said.

Dr. Bawumia noted that records from the Bank of Ghana indicate that in the first three months of 2016, the NDC had borrowed a whopping GHc14 billion taking the total debt to GHC111 billion.

“Indeed, the GHC 14billion debt accumulated by the NDC government in the first three months of this year is much more than the total debt of GHC9.5 billion at the end of 2008, when the NDC took office.”

The NPP Vice-Presidential Candidate pointed out that the reckless borrowing in the last seven years had taken a toll on the economy and vital sectors.

“The real effects of the reckless borrowing undertaken in the last seven years is seen in the magnitude of interest payments Ghana has been burdened with, which has meant that vital resources which should have gone into vital sectors, infrastructural development and social services, are now being pumped into settling our debt obligations.

“In 2015, interest payment amounted to more than GHc9.6 billion. That figure was more than the total debt stock of GHc9.5 billion in 2008 at the end of President Kufuor’s term for which debt stock both President Mills and John Mahama lampooned the NPP government,” he said.

Dr. Bawumia stated that the youth of the country had two-clear alternatives before them and was convinced that between a future of joblessness and hopelessness and one of jobs and economic transformation, the youth will choose right.

“This election is about the future of this nation and about your future. We have before us the two clear alternatives – one where the future is just like the present or even worse; and the other, a bright future. We have the choice between a nation with continuous unprecedented joblessness and a nation and economy which keeps producing well-paying jobs for our youth; we have a choice between a nation which is unable to meet its statutory demands and one with a blossoming economy which is able to meet its demands; we have a choice between a nation where our resources are invested rightly to our collective benefit and one where our resources are pilfered into the bank accounts and pockets of a few; we have a choice between a nation which is globally competitive, people friendly and business friendly and one which is unable to compete with even its peers and continues to fall down the order.

“These are the clear alternatives and it is time to arise for change. Change for our future, change for our jobs, change for our education and change for a globally competitive economy,” he concluded. Dr. Bawumia was accompanied to the forum by National Youth Organizer of the NPP, Sammy Awuku.