NPP is not for the elite – Samira Bawumia

Samira Bawumia, wife of the vice presidential canddidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has refuted claims that, the NPP is a party for the elite.

The wife of Dr Mahmud Bawumia, speaking on accra-based joy fm stated that perhaps the NPP has carved such a posture for itself because of the supports it enjoys from interllectuals.

“Maybe a lot of intellectual people support the NPP so it may seem that way but the NPP’s philosophy is for Ghanaians and for everybody including ‘the common man’.” she said.

“I think its an unfortunate comment because at least in the last eight years we were in power we did not demonstrate that, we fought for the common man, we introduced policies that spoke for the common man, look this NHIS policy was the greatest policy president Kuffuor left for this country.

“It was thought to be impossible, nobody saw it coming but the intervention was great, this free maternal care we brought, this capitation grants, this school feeding and the impact it had on education so its erroneous, maybe there is a reason for it but I know its an erroneous perception”.

According to her, what cost the NPP in the two previous election was the call for change by the Ghanaians.

“In 2008 we were running on a solid record, President Kuffuor did a good job and we believed we will win but it was eight years of NPP and Ghanaians wanted change,” Samira said.

In 2012 as an individual my sense is that we took things for granted in the process of electioneering so we assumed the right things will be done and it turned out later that there were all sorts of things happening with the colation and stuff.

“We still believe that we won that election but it was manipulated in a way but am happy to know that we are aware of those flaws, some of them have been rectified we are going to have vigilant and better trained polling agents and honest people who really want to support this campaign, who will be in the forefront, who will not be complacent, who will not be bought, so I think we are better prepared now, and you know, it’s been eight years of NDC and Ghanaians need a change”.

Although she believes it’s not good enough to say after eight years another person should assume office, she thinks it’s a very important factor.

“It’s never one factor but it’s an important factor, because in eight years you should have something to show for if you want another four years mandate, so after eight years people have been asking questions, could it have been better, absolutely, so do we want change, absolutely that’s the way I see it.

"We are looking at what we are offering as an alternative, that is also very important, we talked about this growing together concept of the NPP. I'm sure you have heard of this one million dollars per constituency and these are the sorts of things because you go to certain parts of this country and the development hasn’t touched those areas and you ask are these people really part of Ghana."

In addition, she stated that, she agrees that the NDC have done a lot in terms of infrastructural development but this is also because, they have made a lot of borrowing and after squandering all that money there should be something to show for it. And also things have to be put into context for people to see.

She thinks the starting point of the government should be taken into consideration in order to know how far they have come and how much has been spent.

She pleads with Ghanaians to look at our current condition and how it has been in the last eight years and give Nana Addo the chance.