Political analyst Emmanuel Nti believes that if Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia did not lack credibility, the programmes and vision he announced on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, would have been excellent.

The presidential candidate, among other things, assured Ghanaians that he would be prudent and fiscally disciplined by aiming for a lean government with at most 50 ministers and deputies.

He stressed attaining sustainable macroeconomic stability, the introduction of a new tax system, building a digital economy and making Ghana a digital hub, reducing the cost of living, power sector reform, and maximisation of the benefits from natural resources.

He also promised industrialization for jobs, fighting corruption using digitization and a cashless society, the development of a credit system for Ghana, a national development plan, a constitutional review, collaboration with faith-based organisations, tourism, sports, and creative arts, care for the vulnerable and special needs, and additional priorities.

If elected president, he plans to significantly alter the National Service Scheme and tax system, proposing that individuals who secure employment after completing their education should be exempt.

But reacting to these promises, the analyst said the character who made them lacks credibility, making his promises just political talk.

Bawumia made similar promises in the 2012, 2016, and 2020 electioneering years, according to his assertion.

To him, it therefore makes the candidate a man of deception who is seeking votes from Ghanaians, hence making promises he cannot execute.

“My opinion is that the issues and policies described by Bawumia were good. If we can find a credible candidate and an administration that can put them into action, Ghana will benefit. These policies are being applied in various economies, including the United Kingdom and the United States, so if we can find a politician who is not corrupt, lazy, or deceitful, and who is willing to engage in politics, we will advance.

We heard Bawumia state these things throughout the 2012 and 2016 elections. He said the same thing in 2020. But now he claims he was only a friend who should be given the opportunity. Was he unaware that he was a mate when he made these failed promises? That is why, while these measures are beneficial, Dr. Bawumia has demonstrated over time that he lacks credibility. He has demonstrated that he is not a politician we should trust. “He’s not credible.”

Speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5 FM, he stated that he was the same person who told us that we needed to transition Ghana from taxation to production because he did not believe in taxation because it causes economic downturns, and so we should shift to production, but he has allowed the government to run us into a ditch, which is why I strongly believe his policies are only political talk”.

When asked if it was not true that the Vice President was someone who only played an advisory role and could not be blamed for the challenges of this government, he disagreed, saying “The president told Ghanaians that Bawumia was experienced and understood the economy better”.

However, if this is what he is saying, it means that he has thrown the president under the bus and that the president does not listen to advice.

Meanwhile, he has also opined that it could also be a strategy the party has deployed to portray Bawumia as someone without blemish so Ghanaians will vote for him.

He said they may have chosen this path to ensure that Ghanaians will not see Bawumia as a man of fault, and it is a kind of conspiracy the NPP is deploying.

“If an NPP communicator can defend E-levy and the whole Vice President opposes it, then there is a problem. These are the realities I am talking about. If any member had made the same remark the Vice President made, that party member would have been sanctioned or sacked from the NPP because what Bawumia said was a betrayal of the party.”