John Mahama, Ghana’s former president, has heightened his critique of Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia’s handling of economic issues, urging him to address the most pressing financial concerns affecting citizens. Speaking at a recent rally in the Savelugu Constituency, Mahama called on Bawumia to respond directly to his core economic questions, which highlight Ghana’s soaring inflation rates, currency devaluation, and an unprecedented rise in national debt levels.
Mahama’s questions include critical inquiries about why the Ghanaian cedi is trading at GH¢17 to the dollar, why national debt has surged from GH¢120 billion to over GH¢767 billion, and why inflation has ballooned to 54%. He also questioned Bawumia on the government’s borrowing practices, including a GH¢42 billion loan from the Bank of Ghana, and challenged Bawumia to focus on these financial matters instead of deflecting with irrelevant counter-questions.
The exchange between Mahama and Bawumia has become central to the current electoral discourse, with Mahama positioning the economy as the pivotal issue. To emphasize this point, Mahama invoked the famous political slogan from the 1992 U.S. elections, “It’s the economy, stupid!” underscoring that in his view, it is Ghana’s economic challenges—not peripheral topics—that should be at the heart of the election debate. By using this slogan, Mahama draws attention to what he perceives as the urgent need for transparent leadership and a clear economic direction to address the concerns of everyday Ghanaians.
This ongoing dialogue reflects the intense focus on Ghana’s economic future, with Mahama urging for an open, solutions-oriented approach to addressing Ghana’s economic woes and calling for political accountability and clarity.