Vice President’s role not only meant for economists – Isaac Adongo

Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central Constituency, Isaac Adongo has debunked suggestions that Ghana’s Vice-Presidential role is only meant for economists.

According to him, the Vice-Presidential role rather requires that of an experienced and diverse leader to complement running of the nation’s affairs along with the President.

Speaking at a press conference on July 9, 2020 in Accra, the Member of the Finance Committee in Parliament said “one of the most iconic and critical roles of a Vice President of Ghana is to provide leadership for the Economic Management Team. Although the role is not a Constitutional or legal requirement, this role has become a practice passed on from past political administrations.”

“The question therefore remains, is the role of Head of the Economic Management Team a specialist economic role? It is obviously not. As a component of the various delegated functions of the Vice President, this role is a general leadership role and not one requiring of a technical, specialist economist. Rather, it requires a gifted, experienced and a diverse leader who can pull various expertise and the array of technical skills to achieve high results of key national goals,” he stated.

Adongo adds that though the current Vice President of the nation, Dr Bawumia leads government’s Economic Management Team, the newly appointed running mate of the opposition NDC, Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang is not in any way mandated to play a similar role.

Lauding John Dramani Mahama’s selection of a female running mate in the person of Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, Mr Adongo said the decision will offer an inclusive and diverse direction in giving confidence to women on Ghana’s political landscape.

“We have shown the capacity to tolerate and nurture the talents of everybody, especially women. By appointing Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, as running mate, the visionary and inclusive former President Mahama is giving confidence to women and hand-holding them into the apex of the political ladder in Ghana,” Mr Adongo said.

“The Presidency, has been the sole prerogative of men since independence in 1957. Indeed, the appointment of Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang provides Ghana and Africa as a whole a rare opportunity to tap the enormous benefits of, not just a woman, but a lady of strong acumen of international repute, as the second in command in the management of the nation. This is unparalleled in our nation's history,” he concluded.