THE running mate of the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has assured delegates, the party’s teeming supporters and Ghanaians that he would rise to the challenge and ensure total victory for the party in the December election.
“My professional career and circumstances over the years have confined me to matters of economic and financial governance of this country and naturally in these circumstances my participation in partisan politics has not been known,” he said
“Even though I may not be known on the political platform, I have been very active at the apex of the economic platform and I am proud to say that I have contributed to the economic achievement of the NPP under the leadership of President John Agyekum Kufour,” he said.
Making his first public address at the 16th annual delegates’ congress of the NPP in Sekondi yesterday, after his introduction as the running mate of the flag bearer, Dr Bawumia said he had had meetings with most of the highly eligible individuals who were considered for the position of running mate.
At the end of it all, he said, he was glad that all of them had agreed to work together as a team to ensure the victory of the party in December.
He said his selection was not just for the success of the party but also as a source of encouragement for the youth of this country, noting that “now they can feel well represented at the highest level to serve the country”.
The running mate said he had been involved in putting together monetary policy framework at the Bank of Ghana and also played a major role in banking reforms that had seen major openings of new banks and branches across the country, thereby increasing credit accessibility.
“I have been involved in government negotiations with the World Bank and the IMF since 2001 through HIPC and the poverty reduction growth facility,” he added.
Dr Bawumia said it was important to note that it was partly as a result of those negotiations and good policies of the government that Ghana, for the first time since 1983, successfully ended its dependency on the IMF and allowed the country to pursue more independent polices without IMF conditionality.
His speech, amidst dancing by those gathered around the public address system, was interrupted by cheers from the delegates and other party faithful.
Dr Bawumia said as chairman of the Capital Market Committee, he was responsible for mapping out strategies for accessing the international market with the issuance of a bond that was four times over subscribed.
Under the current President, he said, the foundations laid were very strong and with the proceeds from the bond presented to the international capital market, there was strong hope for the construction of a dual carriageway from Accra to Kumasi, the rehabilitation of the western railway system and undertaking other projects in the energy sector.
The running mate urged Ghanaians to vote for the NPP government, whose eight years in office had positioned the country well in the international community and given hope for further development in future.
“I can also tell you that the selection of Nana Akufo-Addo and myself is supported by destiny as his father and my father were at the fore-front in the struggle for deepening democracy in the country way back in time,” he said.
In a short remark, the Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, commended Dr Bawumia for his achievements and said he was a perfect choice for the NPP presidential ticket.
The activities were preceded by an interfaith church service, which was attended by the President and his vice and other top government officials, as well as the party’s executive members and delegates.
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