ghananlpcommunity/ghana-gov-speeches-sentences huggingface dataset:
Fellow Kukrudites, Before I start, I ask that we all stand and observe a minute’s silence for our brother Ernest Yaw Kumi, our MP for Akwatia who passed away recently and for all others who have lost their lives in the service of our great party.
Let me start by expressing my most profound gratitude to those of you here and those watching from across the country for joining me as I embark on this journey, not for myself but for our nation and our party.
It is with a deep sense of purpose that I announce formally, my bid to be retained as flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party for the 2028 general elections.
I offer myself for a second time to bear the flag of the NPP into this election, after having listened extensively to the demands of the party and the nation.
Since 1947, our forebears have played the most impactful role in Ghana’s history.
Whenever it has mattered most, we have been at the forefront of providing the leadership and showing the character that has ignited passion and energy among the people of Ghana.
From the days of Danquah, Dombo, Busia, Paa Willie, Edward Akufo-Addo and Baffuor Akoto, our tradition demonstrated deep intellect during the fight for independence.
The traits of selflessness and humility were evident in the genes of patriots.
In the days of Victor Owusu we demonstrated respect for all persons, and in days of Adu Boahene we showed the spirit of courage, rising up to challenge oppressors’ rule.
In the days of Kufour we showed emotional intelligence and the spirit of inclusion and in the days of Akufo-Addo we showed foresight and resilience.
The NPP and Ghana are demanding for a leader who embodies the values of this tradition.
Deep intellect, humility, respect for all persons, unity, courage, foresight and resilience.
Dear Citizens, as the NPP is looking for a leader who embodies the character of this party’s tradition and the values of our forebearers, I Mahamudu Bawumia offer myself to lead the party for the 2028 elections because I have the integrity, competence, compassion, humility and the values not only required to lead this party but to lead this country.
This election is an election not only for flagbearer of our party but an election for the soul of this party.
The choice we make on Jan 31st will determine whether or not this party will hold on to the values that make us great or become a new party focused on deepening the chasm between the rich and the poor.
I am offering myself to be elected as flagbearer because I believe I owe a duty to this party to give her a choice to put forward the most prepared candidate for the 2028 election and the most prepared person to be President in Jan 2029.
In the last 16 years, I have had the privilege of joining each and every constituency at least 5 times, to work hard on the ground and campaign and work for the NPP.
Just like the thousands of you who may not have had all the money in the world to throw at the party, all my sweat, my reputation, my knowledge and my person have been dedicated to working with you for the success of this party.
As a result of this, there is no village or hamlet, no city or town where Mahamudu Bawumia’s face and name are not known.
I owe this party a duty, that if we are to win 2028, we ought not to start afresh from zero.
Instead, we ought to build on the nearly 42% of valid votes and work to cross the 50% mark in the next election.
I have also had the privilege of serving as Vice President and supporting the President and Government in our last administration with ideas that have significantly impacted the lives of millions of our people.
This is what the streets refer to as being Rich in Ideas.
The initiatives I advocated for in our time, today are making impact in people’s lives.
The rich, innovative and practical ideas that I successfully championed and saw to implementation include: Bank of Ghana’s Gold Purchase Program (First in Africa) Gold for Oil (First in Africa) Accelerated issuance of the Ghanacard Mobile Money Interoperability (First in Africa) GhanaPost Digital Property Address System (First in Africa) Agenda 111 One Constituency One Ambulance Zipline Medical Drone Delivery (Largest in the World) Universal QR Code Payment System (First in Africa) No Guarantor Student Loans Ghana.Gov Citizens App NHIS registration and renewal on mobile phone Assistance Rental Scheme Zongo Development Fund Individualized Credit Scoring Paperless Ports Electric Buses E-Gates at the Kotoka International Airport Digitization of medical records at all district, regional and teaching hospitals in Ghana The implementation of these practical policy initiatives has resulted in many people saying that I have been the most effective Vice President in Ghana’s history.
This implies that given the opportunity, I can equally become one of the most effective presidents Ghana will have.
I demonstrate my strength by getting results, not by making noise or by insults or bragging about money.
The combined effect of how well Bawumia is known today and my experience as VP make me the most prepared person for the NPP’s quest for the 2028 election and governance in 2029.
Fellow Kukrudites, in the words of Kofi Abrefa Busia, the qualification to be a success in Ghana’s politics includes ‘a large capacity to stomach all sorts of attacks’.
I am not oblivious to the fact that the NDC and lately elements within our own family subject me to daily attacks.
In fact, I expect that there will be more attacks in the coming months and years.
But if I have learnt anything from our history, it includes the fact that a man must be formidable so that no matter the adversity, he stands tall, focused and resolute.
All that can be hurled at me, I have already been attacked with.
As the days are going by, time has shown great vindication.
The Bank of Ghana, the IMF, and even NDC kingpins are now admitting on many matters that Bawumia was right.
What more can they say of me now?
In our history when all has been said of a candidate and yet he remains standing, victory is the logical next step that awaits him.
The Akans have a saying that, Opanin Due Mate - Mante.
To wit, a wise leader must at times seem aloof, YET when it is required be willing to take the difficult decisions.
That is who I am.
I am cool on the outside but do not underestimate my inner results.
That is what I bring to the leadership of the NPP and the leadership of Ghana.
That is what makes a leader balanced and formidable.
Dear delegates, the most important desire in the hearts of all our colleagues, is a win in 2028.
We have to put our best foot forward as we rebuild our party towards that election.
To win 2028, we must not just talk unity.
We must live it.
The repeated attacks by our own party folk on one another is absolutely unhelpful.
What we say against each other is what the NDC will use against us in 2028.
If you claim you are a true patriot and want this party to win in 2028 then stop it.
Don’t lecture us about how blue your blood is.
Let your actions show.
Stop the internal attacks now.
Stop the religious and tribal attacks NOW.
We lost the 2024 elections after introducing many good programs.
Unfortunately, due mostly to the economic pain that many of our citizens felt, the NDC managed to convince them with lofty promises to stay away or vote against us.
We have learnt lessons.
I assure you that these lessons will be put to good use when we return to office.
However, it is already becoming evident that the NDC does not intend to fulfil the lofty promises they made to Ghanaians in their quest for power.
The promise to pay Cocoa Farmers at least 6,000 Ghana Cedis is one they don’t intend to keep.
The promise to institute a state of emergency and repeal LI 2462 to fight galamsey is one they do not intend to keep.
The setup of the Goldbod to execute the gold purchase program is unravelling as miners are reluctant to sell their gold due to the unattractive prices offered.
Remittances have reduced by 50% as a result of the misalignment in the exchange rates across the different forex markets.
The promise to allow free expression is one they do not intend to keep.
The promise to triple jobs and create new ones through a 24-hour economy was just a political gimmick.
What the NPP and Ghana needs is a strong party that can hold the government accountable for these promises.
Bawumia has always done that and will do that as flagbearer.
For the various candidates contesting for flagbearership I ask: Won’t Ghana and the NPP be better off if instead of focusing your guns on Bawumia, you focus on holding the Government accountable to show that you can lead the NPP in holding the NDC accountable?
Won’t Ghana and the NPP be better off if instead of focusing on attacking each other, you focus on selling a vision for the party and the country?
Our true opponent is not within.
Our true opponent is out there!!!
We need unity to win.
I promise you that just as you have known me to be, I would not do anything to bring division or conflict within the party.
If there would be anyone to create problems in the NPP, it won’t be Dr.
Bawumia.
My Vision: Expand the Ghanaian economy through rich ideas Flat tax system for individuals, corporate and import taxes Enabling environment for businesses Accelerate job creation for youth Recognize and reward sacrifices of our grassroots Restore appointments of those who lost jobs Reduce cost of living and support the vulnerable Adopt a constituency-based development and budgeting framework Build a modern digital economy with equal opportunities for all Expand access to credit Energize domestic production Dedicate 3% of GDP to local private sector procurement Achieve all of this with a strong, disciplined and united NPP Conclusion All my life, this country and this party have given me so much.
I feel an overwhelming sense of duty to give back.
That is why: I didn’t hesitate to lay down my job at the BOG to assist the NPP in 2008 I didn’t hesitate to leave the African Development Bank to help in 2012 I didn’t hesitate to take the box at the Supreme Court as the star witness in 2013 I didn’t hesitate to defend the party even at the risk of mockery I didn’t hesitate to concede the 2024 elections to preserve peace You can be sure that with Mahamudu Bawumia as flagbearer, I shall not hesitate to put my all on the line for the NPP and for Ghana as I have done before.
I implore you, to join me on this journey to rebuild our party and reposition this great tradition to deliver for Ghanaians from 2028.
I am committed to doing this with you, the grassroots of the party supported by the mighty minority of 88!!!
Let’s Win!
Let’s Win Together!
Let’s Win With Bawumia!
Ladies and Gentlemen, three months ago, I was elected as leader and flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to lead the party into the 2024 Elections.
I am eternally grateful to His Excellency the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for allowing me to serve as Vice-President.
Just 11 days ago, the party also completed its election- of parliamentary candidates for 2024 elections.
Let me use this opportunity to also appreciate the leadership and grassroots of our beloved party, the NPP, for the seamless organisation of the Parliamentary Primaries following on the equally successful Presidential contest.
I believe the time has now come for me to speak to you, the good people of Ghana, about my candidature, what we have experienced as a nation, my vision and priorities, and why I believe I am the best candidate for the presidency of this country in the 2024 Presidential election.
I recognize that submitting myself to your service, the electorate, to vote for me as President is no different from interviewing for a job.
One needs to tell a prospective employer what he has accomplished in his previous job, and how he can successfully deliver in the new position he is seeking.
Which is what I seek to do in this speech.
Even tonight is about sharing my vision and policy priorities with you, I crave your indulgence to broadly set up the context.
I will first talk about the record of our government and my contribution as Vice President, before laying out my vision.
So I ask for your patience.
On Wednesday morning, this nation was hit with some very sad news— news of the demise of the first democratic President of the 4th Republic of Ghana, and founder of the National Democratic Congress, one of the two largest political parties we have in this nation.
I also want to take this opportunity, on behalf of the entire Perez Family, to express my deepest condolences to our former First Lady, Mrs Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, the children, the nation, and the NDC party, which he founded.
On the occasions that I met and talked with Mr Rawlings, it was clear that he loved this nation dearly; and, looking back, I can say we’ve lost a very great icon.
(Let us observe a minute’s silence in honour of our departed former President) Today, I want to officially welcome Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang into our midst.
Even before she became running mate to the NDC’s flag bearer, I had had some interesting interactions with her by virtue of my serving on various educational councils, including that of Perez University College.
In fact, with the exception of one, all the rectors we have had at the Perez University College have come from the University of Cape Coast of which she was once a Vice-Chancellor.
One of our senior pastors who also lectures at Cape-Vars worked with her in the same department.
Prof, I have followed you briefly from the time you were chosen as the running mate of the NDC and how you have conducted yourself and your campaign.
I have not heard you or read reports of you using insulting or abusive language on your political opponents, and this is worthy of commendation.
Thank you for that exemplary conduct.
Being a Christian and a member of the Methodist Church, the conduct you have exhibited is very refreshing, so do keep it up.
Let me say that, as a man of God, just as I’ve commended you for what I see you doing well, the day you or your political party—whether while in opposition or while in government—fail to do what is right, expect that I will likewise speak out and not be silent.
I hope that if it happens “attack dogs” from your party will not be unleashed against me!
Of course, in the unlikely event that it does happen, I will not be silenced.
In the next few days ahead of us, we will be going to the polls to elect our leaders who will lead the nation for the next four years.
It is unfortunate that every election season in this nation has been characterised by so much tension and threats of violence.
Since 1992, this has been the unfortunate cycle we have had to endure as citizens of this great nation.
Let me take this opportunity, once again, to admonish our politicians, especially from the two main political parties, the NPP and the NDC, that this year’s elections should not unleash violence on us.
The political parties should not let loose, thugs and vigilante groups on the ordinary people.
Let us experience a high level of civility on the 7th of December and beyond.
I hope and pray that the security agencies and the Electoral Commission would do a very professional and impartial job.
They must not favour or support any one particular political party against the other.
Unfortunately, this has been a major cause of political violence in other jurisdictions.
I want to make a passionate appeal to the journalists, that they should learn lessons from history; history has taught us that some nations have gone to war, some have had civil war and tribal fights; families have been divided, and innocent lives have been destroyed all due to careless reporting of some journalists.
When you choose the path of your personal interests and sensationalism, you may end up famous and rich.
However, the lives and families you would have ended up destroying may be too great to repair.
I ask you, one day when you are old, will you be proud of yourselves or rather be full of regrets for your role in the outcome of our elections and the damage you would have caused to your fellow countrymen?
This election season, I urge journalists to serve the people with a pure conscience.
Report the truth and nothing but the truth, not with a coloured lens due to your party affiliations.
More importantly, we expect our politicians and their supporters to aim for peace.
Make the peace of this nation your topmost priority, as is mentioned in Heb 12:14: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”.
Let me be quick to add that the judiciary should continually put this nation’s interests ahead of any person’s or group’s.
The Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines democracy as a government by the people, one in which “the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections.”
That means every single citizen of Ghana has a say in what our government would look like.
As citizens we must all be committed to vote on 7th December without creating any problem at the polling station.
Remember that if you do not vote, then you have no right to discuss the policies of any government.
Don’t forget the outcome of elections will affect you, whether you’re interested in politics or not.
It is said that not voting is effectively casting a vote for the opponent you least agree with.
If you feel like you’re just one person whose vote doesn’t matter, remember that every vote counts.
In fact, yours might be the one to determine the future of this great country.
As Christians, we will continue in our God-given mandate in praying for the leaders of this nation, from the President to the opposition, the legislature, judiciary, security services, and the entire country.
Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media.
Welcome to this special press briefing, which has been necessitated by recent developments following the publication of the 2022 Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Bank of Ghana on 28th July 2023.
Given the unique circumstances under which the 2022 report was published, it has become necessary for me to make this statement to help put the report into context and to clarify key issues that have arisen since the publication.
The Bank of Ghana’s 2022 Financial Statement results reflect the crisis that hit the economy in that year.
This Press event is to give a clear statement of the problem and chronology of events leading to the economic crisis in 2022 and related developments in Ghana at that time.
At the end of 2019, through prudent economic management, macroeconomic fundamentals had been well anchored.
The Bank of Ghana reported profits of GHC 1.6 billion in 2019, GHC 1.5 billion in 2020 and GHC 1.4 billion in 2021.
The policy objective then, was to consolidate the gains made between 2017-2019 and steer the economy towards achieving broad-based inclusive growth and establishing all the needed structures for transitioning from a Frontier Economy to a Full-Fledged Emerging Market economy.
Then came the covid-19 pandemic at the turn of 2020.
We all witnessed the devastating effects of the pandemic and the uncertainty this disequilibrium created globally.
Ghana was not spared the effects of the pandemic.
There were clear public policy initiatives by the government, with outstanding leadership by the President, to protect lives livelihoods at all costs.
Protecting lives and livelihoods at all costs required exceptional financing.
Fortunately, through the swift intervention of the international financial institutions, the IMF (through the Rapid Credit Facility) and the World Bank, a significant portion of this financing was met.
In addition, the Bank of Ghana, following prudent management, had built enough buffers and policy space, which enabled it to trigger the emergency financing exception under Section 30(6)) of the Bank of Ghana Act, Act 612 as amended, to provide the needed additional financing support through the purchase of GHC10 billion of the Government’s Covid-19 bonds, which helped to close the exceptional financing gap.
These interventions from the Bank of Ghana, the IMF, and the World Bank, helped the government to navigate and effectively contain the devastating effects of the pandemic.
Ladies and Gentlemen, as expected, Ghana’s public health policy response to the pandemic came at a high fiscal cost to the economy, leading into 2021, which was amplified by the spillover effects of the Russia-Ukraine war that started in early 2022.
As a result, sovereign spreads on Ghana’s Eurobonds widened, and Credit Rating Agencies further downgraded Ghana’s sovereign debt rating.
This effectively blocked Ghana’s access to the international capital markets in 2022, a resource which the budget had relied on to borrow about US$3 billion annually to help close the financing gap.
It is important to state that a significant part of the annual borrowing was just to meet debt service and energy payment obligations, given that Ghana’s annual external debt service payments and energy payments alone had risen to the range of 3 to 4 billion dollars annually as at 2020.
Losing access to the international capital market for new financing immediately triggered a liquidity crisis for government, spilling over into a balance of payments crisis as the country had to continue to honour its debt service obligations, energy payments, and import bill.
In keeping up with these critical external payments, the Bank of Ghana lost US$500 million in external reserves in just two months, with no new inflows of foreign currency from the usual annual Eurobond issuance by government to replenish its reserves.
Furthermore, to help address Government’s liquidity crisis, the Bank extended additional overdrafts to the government to address auction failures and prevent domestic default, and enabled government to meet domestic debt obligations and other critical payments needed to avoid a disorderly halt to economic activity.
Throughout the first half of 2022, there was no new foreign financing until July when the Afrexim Bank stepped in to support with US$750 million.
This is a typical replay of what is referred to in the literature as a “first-generation macroeconomic and balance of payments crisis”.
You would recall that many people doubted if the economy was in crisis because they did not hear that interest payments on bonds were not being paid in early 2022; they did not see queues at the pump for petrol and diesel; there were no shortages of essential items on the market; and they did not hear that public sector workers, including civil servants, the Police and the Military, were not being paid their salaries.
The reason was that the Bank of Ghana had provided the needed support to keep the economy going.
These circumstances led the Government to approach the IMF for support in July 2022.
The mission concluded that the economy was at tipping point, and it was agreed with the understanding of the IMF, that the Bank of Ghana should continue to provide the necessary support to keep the economy running until a reform programme had been put into place, which will trigger IMF financing.
The portrait painted above of the Ghanaian economy in 2022, was similar to what pertained in many other frontier and emerging market economies.
Key countries with similar experiences were Egypt, Argentina, Turkey, Kenya, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, just to mention a few.
What separated these countries and their ability to hold their economies until a package of reforms was introduced, was the availability of policy buffers and the resilience of key policy institutions.
We all know what happened in Sri Lanka.
The Bank of Ghana was able to step in with support to the economy until the IMF programme was concluded, because of the policy buffers built, following years of prudent management.
This is a reflection of the resilience of the Bank of Ghana for being able to rise up to the occasion to play its statutory role as the lender of last resort to support the economy during the crisis.
Economic history also teaches us that crises are a part of the business cycle, and the accumulation of policy buffers is the only way to guarantee space to deal with such crises, and this is clearly the role the Bank of Ghana played with distinction.