By Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Accra, June 16, GNA – Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia says he has worked very hard and served the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Government with humility, dedication and honesty and ready to lead the Party as its flagbearer into the 2024 General Election.
“… And that is why I am offering myself, in all humility, to contest in the primaries of this phenomenal Party, the great New Patriotic Party, to become our flagbearer and Presidential Candidate for election 2024 and Insha Allah, the President of the Republic of Ghana,” he said.
“It is possible to break the eight, in order to continue with the transformational policies we have started. It is possible!
” I am counting on your support from now through the primaries to the general election in December 2024 and beyond. By the grace of God, Insha Allah, victory will be ours,” Dr Bawumia said.
Vice President Bawumia made the remarks when addressing teeming supporters of the NPP at the Party’s headquarters in Asylum Down, Accra, after filing his nomination forms to contest in the Party’s Presidential Primaries.
The Vice President was accompanied by his wife, Samira, and some members of Parliament.
The Vice President months ago engaged Majority Caucus in Parliament, Council of Elders of the Party and traditional and religious leaders on his ambition to contest in the Party’s Presidential Primaries.
“Thank you all for the overwhelming support you have shown me today. I am very humbled by this massive show of support. I would also like to thank my dear wife Samira and all my family for the support you have given me all these years.
“I have just filed my nomination forms to contest as flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party for the 2024 Presidential Election. I believe this is the first step to our victory in 2024, by the grace of God,” he said.
“This is a very important day in my life. From Sakasaka Primary School to Tamale Secondary School, to Oxford University, to Bank of Ghana as Deputy Governor and then to become Vice President of the Republic of Ghana.
“It has been an amazing journey and I thank God for how far he has brought me,” he added.
The Vice President said it had taken a lot of hard work, discipline and patience to be at his current position as Vice President of the Republic of Ghana.
“I have walked to school growing up in Moshie Zongo in Tamale. I have been a by-day worker on farms during holidays in secondary school, I have been a warehouse boy even after finishing university, I have been a minicab driver, I was only able to pay fees for one term during my studies at Oxford University and had to survive for the rest of my studies without paying fees, thanks to my College,” Dr Bawumia recalled.
He remembered how he settled his fees, which was in arrears after completing his PhD in Canada.
“I have also been a cleaner of dormitories in my university days in Canada. So, I can say that I have not had it easy at all. But I have always believed that with hard work, honesty, discipline and faith in God, one can fulfill one’s potential,” he added.
“I care about the poor, I care about the vulnerable and the excluded.
“I care about the lepers, I care about the sick, the sickle cell sufferers and cancer patients, I care about the disabled, I care about the Kayayei, I care about street children, and I care about the unemployed amongst others,” he said.
That, he believed, was the true essence of life to address the problems of the weakest in the society.
“I am not afraid of hard work. In fact, I enjoy hard work. My experience in life tells me that honesty and hard work pays. I worked hard for H.E. President Kufuor as Deputy Governor at the Bank of Ghana and I have worked hard as Vice President in assisting the President, Nana Akufo-Addo, achieve his vision.
“Together, we started the process of transforming Ghana into a country ready for the fourth Industrial Revolution.
“I brought honesty, hard work, dedication and discipline to my role as Vice President,” Dr Bawumia stated amid clapping of hands by the gathering.
Notwithstanding the current economic challenges, Dr Bawumia said the government had constructed more infrastructure than any other government in the fourth republic.
It had also undertaken many transformational policies, including the mass issuance of the Ghanacard, Digital Address, Mobile Money Interoperability, Delivery of medicines by drones, One-District One-Factory, Planting for Food and Jobs, Zongo Development Fund, Agenda 111, Free TVET and Free SHS.
He said after implementing those transformational policy initiatives, it was important that the nation did not go backwards, adding that Ghana needed to move to the next level by building on the foundations the Akufo-Addo’s Administration had put in place.
“Together with you, I want to see a Ghana where we leverage technology, data and systems for inclusive economic growth.
“I want to make Ghana the digital hub of Africa. I want us to bridge the digital divide and apply digital technology and artificial intelligence for the transformation of healthcare, education, and public service delivery amongst others,” he said.
GNA