Bawumia Sidelined in Economic Management, Should Have Exited Government – Senyo Hosi
Economic Policy Analyst and Activist, Senyo Hosi, has asserted that Vice President and New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, should have exited President Akufo-Addo’s administration when it became evident he was sidelined in managing the economy.
Speaking during an interview on Okay FM on Monday, December 16, Mr Hosi stated that former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, was in charge of the economy, leaving Dr Bawumia without the influence many expected.
“President Akufo-Addo’s government did not treat Dr Bawumia well, but I blame him also because when he saw that things were not going right and he wasn’t being allowed to manage the economy as he wanted, he should have exited,” Mr Hosi remarked.
He argued that Dr Bawumia’s failure to resign when sidelined limited his ability to distinguish himself from the economic challenges under the current administration.
He explained that the NPP’s victory in 2016 was not primarily due to flagship policies such as Free SHS but rather because of the economic mismanagement, corruption, and impunity under the then NDC government.
“When President Akufo-Addo won in 2016, Ghanaians expected better governance, stronger institutions, and effective economic management led by Dr Bawumia. Unfortunately, it was Ken Ofori-Atta who managed the economy, and Dr Bawumia was sidelined,” Mr Hosi added.
According to him, Dr Bawumia’s prominence on the NPP ticket in 2016 brought “proper weight” and value to the party’s appeal, unlike other vice-presidential candidates in Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
“Dr Bawumia was a major reason Ghanaians supported the NPP. If economic management is your value on the ticket, and you are not allowed to deliver, you should have admitted it to Ghanaians and exited,” he stressed.
Mr Hosi further criticized the NPP’s economic performance, stating that the fiscal crisis experienced by the country was not a result of external factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic or the Russia-Ukraine war, but rather poor economic management by the Akufo-Addo administration.
“The poor performance of the economy had very little to do with the pandemic or the war. It was a matter of bad fiscal management and arrogance in admitting mistakes,” he noted.
According to Mr Hosi, he predicted an electoral defeat for the NPP earlier in the year, estimating a two-million-vote margin between the NDC and NPP.
“I told my NPP friends in April that unless certain measures were taken, they would lose the election,” he revealed.
Mr Hosi also argued that the 2024 election result was largely a reflection of President Akufo-Addo’s governance rather than Dr Bawumia’s candidacy.
“This election was about President Akufo-Addo and not Bawumia or President-elect John Mahama. The person who made the most reasonable statement in this year’s elections was former President John Kufuor, who said Ghanaians should vote based on their living conditions. And that was exactly the basis of this year’s election outcome,” he intoned.
