Political competence is the ability to understand what you can and cannot
control, when to take action, anticipate who is going to resist your agenda, and
determine whom you need on your side to push your agenda forward.

Political competence is about knowing how to map the political terrain, get others on your side, and lead coalitions. More often than not, political competence is not understood as a critical core competence that is needed by all leaders in organizations.

As the 2024 general elections loom, Ghanaians would have to make a choice
that has the propensity to shape the future of this country either positively or negatively. Realistically speaking, the choice is between two leading
candidates, former president John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, representing the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), respectively.

In this article, I intend to analyse the competence of these two candidates.

Dr. Bawumia was introduced as an economist who could help solve the economic challenges facing this country. He organized a series of economic lectures and delivered compelling speeches on the economy. That won him a lot of admirers and eventually helped his party win the 2016 elections.

Dr. Bawumia has been an integral part of this administration from its inception.
All the policies and ideas of this administration were conceived and
implemented with his input. Yet, the current economic challenges in this
country make it difficult to believe Dr. Bawumia has anything new to offer in
the event that he becomes president. The economy is in tatters under his
stewardship as the head of the Economic Management Team (EMT). This has
put a dent in his reputation as far as competence is concerned, bearing in
mind that he was only brought on board to solve economic problems.

If we analyse the current economic indicators in this country with Dr. Bawumia,
as head of the EMT, where the exchange rate is USD1=GHC16, inflation is 23%,
national debt stock at GHC650 billion, unemployment at 14%, and debt to GDP
almost 100%, it is impossible for any honest, patriotic, and well-meaning
Ghanaian to say Dr. Bawumia is competent enough to lead this country. These
are facts devoid of malice or mischief?

It is also difficult to vouch for his honesty due to his continued promises and
his refusal to admit that he has failed as far as the task assigned to him is
concerned. Dr. Bawumia does not take responsibility for whatever happens
under this administration, instead of his cherry-picking attitude. Dr. Bawumia
has on several platforms claimed credit for all the few “positives” of this
administration, yet blaming others for the numerous failures.

On the other hand, former president Mahama handed over the following economic indicators to the NPP: the exchange rate of USD1 to GHC3.6, inflation of 13%, national debt stock of GHC122 billion, unemployment of 7%, and debt to GDP of 67%.

The former president built some monumental infrastructural edifices that will
continue to be useful to this country, at least in the next 100 years to come.
They include Terminal 3 at Kotoka International Airport, the University of
Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC), Bank of Ghana Hospital, Kumasi Kejetia project, Afari Military Hospital, Sewuah Hospital, Circle Interchange, Kumasi Airport expansion, Kotokoraba Market, Accra Ridge Hospital expansion, Bukom Sports Complex, Wa Hospital, Kumawu hospital, Accra Digital Centre, Tamale Airport expansion, Pokuse interchange, the AMERI power plant, the KARPOWER plant, EXIM bank, 47 completed secondary schools, etc., all with relatively less income.

Of course, John Mahama faced some challenges, but the manner in which he
addressed them was the semblance of an honest politician who cares about his
credibility more than power.

When the country was hit with the generational energy crises that reoccur at
least ones every decade, Former president Mahama had two options: either
to work and eliminate the deficit between supply and demand, thereby managing the problem to bounce back in the future after he had won the 2016 elections, or work to address the root causes of the problem.

The former president decided that it was important to be honest with Ghanaians and that it was time to end the recurrence of the energy crisis. He chose the latter and boldly declared, "I, John Dramani Mahama, will fix the energy challenge and not just manage it.” He opted for the more holistic but tedious and lengthy route of addressing the challenge.

This approach was aimed at totally eliminating the energy crisis permanently, so he took the bull by the horns. This was a very bold decision with political consequences, yet he chose this path in the interest of the country. His political opponents took advantage of his honesty and dishonestly used the prolonged but inevitable energy crisis to campaign against him.

Mahama makes decisions that are in the interest of the country, irrespective of
their impact on his political fortunes, he has always put Ghana ahead of his
personal interest.

The evidence therefore suggests and indicates that former President John Dramani Mahama is far more competent, honest, and trustworthy than Vice President Bawumia.