National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has expressed frustration at the National Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer’s apparent marginalization of President Akufo-Addo in his pursuit of political power.
He has raised concerns over Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s attempts to distance himself from certain government policies that have not been successful and pin them on his boss, President Akufo-Addo.
In his view, both the President and Vice President should be held accountable for the current challenges facing the country.
“How can Kabiru in one breath say that Bawumia was a mere agent and hence can not take liability or blame for the failures of Principal, yet in another breath they give Bawumia credit for the success of the Principal?
“Why is Bawumia being credited for one constituency one ambulance, agenda 111, why? Why is that the case? They are not saying that the credit should go to Akufo-Addo because Bawumia was a mere agent. Hypocrite, that is what they are,” he said on Joy FM’s Top Story on February 8.
Vice President Dr. Bawumia’s policies seem to shift all blame onto President Akufo-Addo, whom he believes has been abandoned.
According to him, “Akufo-Addo is looking like a lonely old man. I am just feeling pity for him. This is the time that his Vice President whom he entrusted with the management of the economy has to stand by him and say look we take collective responsibility. We have failed, we could have done things better, we have failed,” he added.
Sammy Gyamfi’s remarks come in response to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s call for Ghanaians to elevate him from the role of a “driver’s mate” to that of a “driver.”
This analogy suggests a desire for increased responsibility and authority within the government. Additionally, Dr. Tiah Abdul-Kabiru Mahama, the Vice President’s Technical Advisor, has argued that Dr. Bawumia’s role is primarily advisory, implying limitations in his ability to effect substantial change as he is not the President.
On the back of this, Mr Gyamfi said, “If the Vice President is a mere advisor, he is a mere agent, then my question is this, ‘how come in 2016, Dr Bawumia directed 170 questions to then Vice President and Chairman of the Economic Management Team, Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur?
“Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur was vice? Was he not a mere agent of John Mahama per their logic?”