The National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, has ramped up pressure on the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential Candidate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, urging him to address Ghana’s economic challenges head-on rather than deflecting with what he called “useless” counter-questions.

Speaking to an enthusiastic crowd in Savelugu on Wednesday, 29 October 2024, former President Mahama criticised Vice President Bawumia’s recent decision to answer his five economic questions with 50 counter-questions, describing the move as a diversion from Ghana’s pressing economic issues.

Mahama’s questions, centred on key financial indicators, include: “Why has the exchange rate reached GHS17 to the dollar? Why has Ghana’s debt ballooned from GHS120 billion to GHS767 billion over the past eight years? Why has inflation soared to 54 per cent under the current administration?

‘Why has the government borrowed GH¢42 billion from the Bank of Ghana? Why is Dr. Bawumia focusing on digitalisation rather than tackling these economic problems?”

At the rally, the NDC flagbearer pressed Dr. Bawumia to respond directly, arguing that these questions reflect the core concerns of Ghanaians facing economic hardship.

“I woke up this morning and saw 50 questions from him. It looks like our Vice President has just memorised these things like we used to learn poems in primary school,” Mr. Mahama remarked, dismissing Dr. Bawumia’s list of questions as an attempt to sidestep the real issues.

Mr. Mahama noted: “I asked you five simple questions that Ghanaians want you to answer, and instead, you respond with, ‘How many compost plants did you build?’ That’s not the issue in Ghana today.”

Drawing on the slogan from Bill Clinton’s 1992 U.S. presidential campaign, “It’s the economy, stupid!” Mr. Mahama emphasised his point further, saying: “This election is about the economy, stupid. It is not about all those useless things—who built how many compost plants.”