Why Bawumia Is A Poodle

The comparison of former President Professor Mills to a certain domestic pet due to perceived traits and behaviors was unfortunate. You may recall that back on December 3rd, 2002, Gabby Otchere-Darko described Professor Mills as a poodle in his uncle’s newspaper, The Statesman. Little did he know that in Akan, there is a proverb that says, "The cane that was used to whip Takyie is the same cane that will be used to whip Baah." This proverbial wisdom has come full circle with the ascension of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who now fits the description of a poodle even more aptly than Professor Mills ever did.

The man Gabby Otchere-Darko so eagerly labeled a poodle is a reflection of his uncle’s, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s, political maneuvers. In what can only be seen as an act of nepotism, Akufo-Addo handpicked Dr. Bawumia from the Bank of Ghana to be his running mate. The attributes of loyalty, subservience, and an eagerness to please that were once ascribed to Mills are a mirror image of Bawumia’s political journey.

Dr. Bawumia, like a poodle, exhibits a high level of intelligence and an ability to follow commands without question. However, this intelligence has been overshadowed by his role as President Akufo-Addo’s obedient sidekick. His promises and proclamations, such as the infamous pledge to arrest the cedi’s depreciation, have proven to be empty rhetoric, making him appear more as a pet performing tricks for his master’s approval than a leader in his own right.

One cannot forget the long list of unfulfilled promises made by Bawumia, which paint a picture of a politician more interested in maintaining his position than in delivering results. When is Dr. Bawumia going to make available the $18 billion Chinese loan he promised us? What happened to the $2 billion Sinohydro deal? These unfulfilled promises extend to the grassroots level, where he vowed that "no village in Ghana will have a challenge with toilet and water provision within two years of an NPP government," a promise that remains unfulfilled.

Bawumia’s record is a catalog of failures and inconsistencies. The promise of providing every Ghanaian with a bank account by the end of 2018, the arrest of the cedi's free fall, and the provision of incentives for private sector participation in health services have all been monumental flops. His administration has failed to reduce the cost of doing business, provide a reliable energy mix, and pursue aggressive industrialization.

Under his watch, Ghana’s debt has skyrocketed to historic levels, with total debt standing at 742 billion cedis as of June 2024. In just seven years, Bawumia has added 620 billion cedis to the national debt. He has overseen the printing of over 80 billion cedis to cover fiscal deficits, leading to inflation rates exceeding 54%. The collapse of financial institutions and scandals like the PDS debacle, where valuable assets of the ECG were allegedly transferred to cronies, further tarnish his record.

The Akyem Mafia’s Agyapa Royalties deal, which has been described as a conduit for corruption, is another dark mark on Bawumia’s tenure. This deal was a blatant attempt to mortgage Ghana’s future for a fraction of its worth, benefiting only a select few at the top. Bawumia, as President Akufo-Addo’s darling poodle, played a significant role in pushing this agenda, highlighting his role as a mere puppet controlled by his handlers.

In conclusion, the cane that was used to whip Takyie is indeed the same cane that is being used to whip Baah. Gabby Otchere-Darko’s description of Professor Mills as a poodle was a self-fulfilling prophecy, now perfectly embodied by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. A vote for Bawumia is a vote for a third term of Nana Addo’s administration, a continuation of the Agyapa deal, and an endorsement of a regime of unfulfilled promises and economic mismanagement. The Ghanaian voter must see through this facade and recognize that Bawumia is not the leader Ghana needs. He is a political fraud, a liar, and a walking contradiction, and his tenure has been marked by incompetence and failure. It is time for the Ghanaian electorate to reject Bawumia’s bid for power come December 7th, 2024.

Ebenezer Ato Ntarkurfah Jackson, Cornell University, MBA Class of 2015, [email protected]