Sad: Bawumia is no longer talking about corruption in this election

As we move into the 7^th December 2024 general elections, one of the most important topics that is of major concern to Ghanaians is corruption and we expect the contestants to address their positions on this topic. Corruption is the most deadly virus killing Ghanaians directly and indirectly. In August 2022, Mr. Richard Quason, Deputy Commissioner of CHRAJ, stated that on average endemic corruption swallows about 20 per cent of Ghana’s national budget annually. The amount represented over 300 per cent of all aid Ghana receives yearly and it translates into 25 per cent of 2016 annual budget estimate for foreign aids.

In view of the above, it is prudent to expect that, anyone seeking to be the president of this country would emphatically denounce corruption and state their plans to fight it, because it is one of the major problems currently affecting Ghana.

However, I have observed with keen interest that, unlike as in the 2016 elections, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has been silent on the topic of corruption throughout his campaign during the current electioneering season.

In the lead up to the 2016 elections, Dr. Bawumia and his wife together with the entire NPP machinery repeatedly hammered on corruption and promised to address it if elected.

According to Ghana’s anti-graft body, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), which is Transparency International’s Local Chapter, as a country we “loses close to US$3 billion to corruption annually,” This is the exact amount of money Ghana is getting from the three year International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.

Corruption is a dangerous act used by the few greedy government appointees to enrich themselves and families and leave “citizens in poverty, joblessness, in their broken homes and with shattered dreams,” said a statement, issued by the National House of Chiefs, the highest body in Ghana that unites all traditional rulers, chiefs and kings.

Former President John Dramani Mahama has been categorical about his stance against corruption and how he intends to fight it if he wins the upcoming 2024 7th December general elections. Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang during her outdooring as the NDC’s running mate revealed that “John and I have agreed that, whoever has participated in the plunder of the state will be held accountable, this is not a threat, it is a promise which is premised on the wishes of the citizens across the political divide and hinged on the principles of accountability”

This indicates that, majority of Ghanaians are appalled and dismayed by the amount of corrupt activities currently perpetrated by the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government and its appointees, and would like to see an action to deal with it.

It is therefore pitiable that, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has decided to conspicuously stay away from stating his position on corruption and how he intends to fight it in the highly unlikely event that he wins the upcoming general elections (perish the thought) despite the obvious rot going on this this country.

The fact is that, Dr. Bawumia will be extremely disappointing in terms of fighting against corruption if he wins the December polls, because he will not be able to investigate and prosecute the same people who fought to make him the president.

The capture of state lands, embezzlements, overnight riches and the display of opulence and wealth by the appointees of this government cannot skip the attention of the vice president. He has never said anything about the PDS, Cash for seat, Australian Visa Scandal, SML, BOST contaminated oil scandal, National Cathedral, the Ambulance spare parts scandal, and the mighty Agyapa stinking scandal.

I believe the vice president has no moral campus to comment on corruption due to his and his wife’s alleged involvement in the stealing of state lands in the poshest parts of Accra in Cantonment and Labone as stated by the General secretary of the NDC Hon. Fiifi Kwetey during the inauguration of the Aldershort branch of the NDC branch in the UK.

Strikingly, during his opposition days, the vice president and his wife were loud on corruption, accusing the NDC government of corruption, today; they are allergic to the mention of corruption, because they are alleged to be deeply involved in these disgraceful and shameful practices. The implication of this is that in the highly unlikely event of him winning the 2024 elections (perish the thought again); the status quo will remain the same.

The reality is that, Dr. Bawumia cannot deal with corruption, because, he will be controlled and manipulated like a puppet by the same corrupt individuals who are desperately trying so hard to make him the president in order to conceal their corrupt activities and by his greed and appetite for worldly gains.

Voting for president Akufo-Addo in 2016 was the greatest mistake Ghanaians have ever made, but voting for Dr. Bawumia will be the greatest of self-inflicting woes Ghanaians will ever make. It will be the cherry on the icing on the cake for the NPP in their quest to allocate Ghana to themselves and their unborn generations, through Agyapa deal, and PDS- like transactions.

As a country in an unprecedented economic crisis, inflicted on us due to the greed and selfish attitude of the NPP, it is important to avoid Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia like a contagious virus when we go to the polls, his unlikely victory will be an endorsement of the current corruption, state capture, opulence, arrogance and chicanery being displayed by these bunch of greedy appointees of the current government. It will also present the current government the opportunity to complete the agapadie agenda.

The only way Ghanaians can be assured of fighting corruption is by voting for the NDC and John Dramani Mahama on December 7th.