Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the 2024 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has acknowledged that failure to heed to the generality of Ghanaians and party enthusiasts, caused the party in the Election 2024.
He said “If we consider all the studies we have done so far as to why we lost, one of the big issues was that we did not listen to the people. We ignored your voices and exhibited arrogance. There was arrogance of power”.
Dr Bawumia continued that though party members asked for a reshuffle, party hierarchy failed to listen.
“Ghanaians told us they did not like the e-levy, but we did not listen to them. Meanwhile, there are about 16 million mobile money subscribers. So literally, all the voters use mobile money”.
“The people also told us not to implement the haircut policy, but we implemented it, despite the assurances from the then President that there will be no haircuts. We angered many bondholders who are about eight hundred thousand people,” he said.
“These people have dependants, at least three or four. So, it will never augur well for you as a government when over two million people are hurt,” he indicated.
Dr Bawumia pointed out that Ghanaians grew tired of the arrogance displayed and those unpopular decisions contributed to the abysmal performance of the NPP.
Addressing thousands of enthusiastic NPP supporters at the auditorium of the Takoradi Technical University over the weekend, as part of the party’s thank you tour, Dr Bawumia said the party had learnt the hard way from the consequences for not listening to concerns of the masses.
He however, rejected the assertion by some people that his Muslim faith was a key reason behind the party’s loss and described the perception as baseless and not supported by evidence.
The nationwide tour is on the theme: “In All Things, Give Thanks to God” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Dr Bawumia also cited the cost of living and the prices of goods that went up which led to financial difficulties for many, adding that the government at the time failed to pay allowances due personnel under the Nation Builders Corp (NaBCo), Afforestation Programme, and caterers in the School Feeding Programme.
He stated that NaBCo members alone were about one hundred thousand, while those doing afforestation were seventy thousand.
He admitted that the government failed to commit resources for development infrastructure in several of its strongholds in the Western Region and other regions.
Dr Bawumia cited the PTC interchange in Takoradi, Takoradi main Market, as well as the Mpohor and Shama road projects.
He said it was worrying that about three days to the general elections, prices of petroleum products were increased.
Dr Bawumia said although it was clear that the party was going to do well in all the 270 constituencies, unfortunately there was low voter turnout, probably because of the government’s unpopular decisions.
He cited instances where voters, including party supporters, openly expressed their unwillingness to participate in the polls, adding “This is unprecedented in Ghana’s political history”.
Dr Bawumia continued that the party was reconsidering changes to its delegate system, as reports suggested it accounted partly for the party’s loss.
He was very optimistic that the NPP would win the next general elections adding “I believe 2028 is the year for the elephant”.
Mr Stephen Ntim, the National Chairman of the party, urged all NPP activists to unite and heal, stressing that there was hope for the future.
Justin Frimpong Koduah, the General Secretary of the party urged NPP members to submit proposals for constitutional amendments, as the party prepared for an extraordinary national delegates conference in July this year.
