Former Vice-President and NPP Presidential Candidate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia says the NDC government has been exposed by its failure to deliver campaign promises, with the internet preserving its past pledges for public scrutiny.
Addressing the NPP’s National Thanksgiving Service at the Church of Pentecost in Sunyani this morning, he said politicians could no longer escape their previous statements because campaign videos, interviews and posters remained available online.
“Promises made to win power must be promises we can keep, because time tests every promise. Today we have something we call (internet meme) ‘a few moments later’. Whatever you say, it is saved on the internet, so when you come and you fail to honour what you promised to do, your own words will be played back to you,” he said.
“The NDC said so many things and today ‘omo akyi gu ho’ – they have been exposed,” he added, prompting loud cheers from the congregation.
Dr Bawumia described social media and the wider internet as important tools for holding governments accountable. He said old campaign material had become memes that continued to remind the government of promises he believes have not been fulfilled.
Among the pledges he cited were GHC6000 per bag of cocoa for cocoa farmers, improved prices for cashew farmers, automatic posting for teachers, the cancellation of double track and teacher licensure exams, an end to galamsey within one month, the 24-hour economy and the completion of Agenda 111 hospitals.
“They told soybean, rice and maize farmers many things, they have all been deceived. Teachers too, the same. Same with nurses and doctors,” he said.
He also criticised the government over the 24-hour economy, saying nearly two years had passed without its implementation.
“They said they were bringing 24-hour economy. We have been waiting for nearly 2 years to see it but it has not happened. They themselves don’t understand it so how can they explain it to us? It was campaign propaganda to deceive Ghanaians.”
On illegal mining, he said the situation had deteriorated rather than improved.
“Galamsey is even worse. Maybe when they mentioned 1:3:3 they meant galamsey because galamsey has now more than tripled. Dr. Sam Jonah said our river bodies now look like chocolate milk.”
‘Two economies’
Dr Bawumia said Ghana was experiencing a divide between what he called the country’s “paper economy” and its “pocket economy”.
He said the government pointed to reductions in inflation and the dollar exchange rate, while ordinary people continued to face rising living costs.
“You cannot have a stable economy with people suffering. Electricity bills, water bills, petrol and transport fares have all gone up. Traders are complaining because people are not buying their goods,” he said.
Looking ahead to 2028, he said the NPP would offer “costed ideas, practical ideas, workable ideas” and would avoid making promises it could not keep.
Dr Bawumia also accused the government of restricting free expression, saying: “when people complain on radio and on the internet, they will come and arrest you. We are in an era of arrests.”
