Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has once again criticized former President John Mahama’s proposed 24-hour economy policy, calling it ill-conceived and lacking innovation.

During a recent campaign stop in the Northern Region, Dr Bawumia asserted that Mahama’s economic strategies have consistently fallen short and that true economic transformation requires more creative thinking.

“This is one idea that John Mahama thinks that he has brought, it is a bad idea, it is an idea that hasn’t been thought through so I want you to compare me to John Mahama, who has the ideas to transform this economy.

“The track record of John Mahama doesn’t show innovative thinking, it doesn’t show ideas, the track record of Dr Bawumia is idea after idea. I have my own priorities and I have my own vision, when I become president I will bring more ideas and you will hear them very soon.”

Meanwhile, former President Mahama has reaffirmed his commitment to implementing his proposed 24-hour economy policy, dismissing criticism from opponents and reiterating its potential to boost employment and revitalize the Ghanaian economy.

During a campaign rally in the Bono East Region, Mr. Mahama emphasized that his vision for a 24-hour economy extends beyond simply extending the operational hours of existing businesses.

The NDC flagbearer explained that his policy is based on a comprehensive approach that encourages and incentivizes businesses across various sectors to adopt 24-hour operations, thus creating new employment opportunities and stimulating economic growth.

“If one factory is doing 24 hours, that is not what I’m talking about. Everybody should be encouraged to be able to do a 24-hour shift. We have the harvest season now and factories that are processing agricultural products should be able to run two shifts,” Mr. Mahama explained.

“We will give incentives for everybody who wants to run a 24-shift system to be able to do that so that more young people will be employed,” he added.

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Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Adentan Constituency, Yaw Buaben Asamoa has described the party as one with an overbearing image and authority of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

According to Buaben Asamoa who recently forfeited his membership alongside three other stalwarts for declaring their support for independent presidential candidate, John Alan Kyerematen; the NPP has been hijacked by the president whose wishes determine the direction of the party.

“The party has changed character; a party ought to be an association of like minds with freedom and opportunity to rub minds and seek out the best spaces. The New Patriotic Party that I knew in the beginning is not the New Patriotic Party that exists now. It’s become divided by heavy factionalism. It has been taken over by the executive, that is the blunt truth. The party doesn’t exist.

“The government has taken the party over, the personality of the president is overbearing and he controls that party, and that means that if you don’t do the president’s wish; if you are not in the president’s good books you are not useful to that party. That is the bottom line, that is what is happening,” he stated in an interview on Citi TV’s Face to Face program.

General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Frimpong Kodua on November 21, 2023, announced the forfeiture of the membership of four leading members of the party.

The four, Hopeson Adorye, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, Nana Ohene Ntow, and Boniface Abubakar Saddique according to a press statement issued by the general secretary have been expelled from the party based on their public endorsement and campaign Alan Kyerematen.

Having resigned from the NPP ahead of the party’s recently held presidential primaries, Alan Kyerematen has formed a political movement dubbed Movement for Change which has the Golden Butterfly as its symbol.

Mr Kyerematen as part of justification for his resignation, accused the government and the party’s leadership of unfair treatment against himself and his supporters.

He further accused the leadership and the government of skewing the flagbearer contest in favor of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

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The 2024 Flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) John Mahama has announced the date he will name his running mate.

The former president made the disclosure when he engaged the NDC party faithful at a forum in the Ahafo Region during his #BuildingGhana Tour, on November 21, 2023.

According to Mr. Mahama, a lot of consultations will take place before he names his running mate.

Mr. Mahama revealed the running mate will be named next year 2024.

“What I will say is that, just like custom has it, our party also has processes to select candidates for various roles.

“It is the presidential candidate, national executives, and council of elders who come together to select a running mate. But that process will start next year. So, keep praying for such a time,” He said.

Running Mate Names shortlisted 

Some names were reportedly floated as among the last shortlist of Running Mate discussion in the NDC.

Some of the names that are said to be in a final shortlist of discussions among senior decision-makers of NDC include the 2020 Running Mate, Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, Former Chief of Staff Julius Debrah; Former CEO of BOST/TOR, Kingsley Awuah Darko, and Ex-Police Chief Retired COP Nathan Kofi Boakye.

Apart from Julius Debrah and Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, the two other names hail from the Ashanti Region.

A last name mentioned to this portal is the current “ambitious” NDC Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah who has told close sources including Mahama “not to rule him out” if the permutation favors him.

Following the election of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the ruling NPP flagbearer, there is increasing pressure on John Mahama to settle on a running mate before the NPP does.

Clear indications from inside the NPP show Dr. Bawumia may choose a sitting NPP MP as the Running Mate.

Sources told MyNewsGh.com Mahama may be considering maintaining 79-year-old Literature Professor, Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang as his running mate for 2024, but some close advisors strongly doubt her capacity after a poor showing in 2020 in her home region.

There is increasing pressure for Mahama to choose a more charismatic Akyem or Ashanti Running Mate before Bawumia does.

The name of retired Commissioner of Police (COP) Nathan Kofi Boakye two mo ths ago emerged as a strong Contender for the NDC Vice Presidential slot.

Kofi Boakye, like Awuah Darko, hails from the Ashanti Region where the NDC may be scouting for a running mate should Mahama decide to change Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang.   Many people within the party have been suggesting the retired police could serve the needs of Mahama better than the former University of Cape Coast Vice-Chancellor.

Supporters of candidates like Julius Debrah and Awuah Darko say they have resources and networks that could be key in the prosecution of the 2024 campaign.

Julius Debrah is said to have a personal friendship and rapport with the former President that will make their work easier.

Awuah Darko on the other hand comes from a rich Ashanti Royal family with deep roots in Finance and insurance. He is also said to be very close to John Mahama and is trusted by the latter.

Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang on the other hand has started intense lobbying to be maintained, sources told this portal.

Dr. Ato Forson who was under consideration himself pulled out and threw his support for “grandma’s” bid to unite the Central Region.

Ato Forson is said to be a Minister of Finance in waiting should John Mahama win the next election.

Mynewsgh.com