Rejoinder to Kofi Bentil’s appeal to give VP Bawumia a fair hearing in election 2024

I read with keen interest, the post from KOFI BENTIL on the need to give the VP a fair hearing for 2024.

First, let me congratulate Kofi for speaking his mind on the issue. Kofi also deserves a fair hearing, so let's not attack him. Instead, let's carefully interrogate the points he raised.

Every man deserves a fair hearing:

While one cannot fault the request for a fair hearing, one cannot pretend that there is no context for such a hearing. The context cannot be ignored or simply pushed away. When we listen to candidate Mahama, we will consider him within the context of his strengths and weaknesses. We will do same for candidate Bawumia.

We gave Mahama a chance to be president, the least we can do is to give Bawumia a fair and objective hearing:

The presidency is not about giving everyone in the queue a chance, simply because they have not had their turn. We cannot tolerate an “eduro mesu” mindset.

He is not president and has never been president. I have no doubt. He will be better:

It is a fact that the VP has never been president. The belief, however, that the VP will be a better president will be discussed shortly.

The VP position in Ghana, apart from standing in when the president is away (and he can’t make any serious decisions) is totally powerless! He is like an advisor:

The attempt to suddenly downplay the role of the VP is rather surprising. I doubt that the VP himself believes in the assertion that his role is totally powerless. A few questions come to mind.

Didn't the VP know the role was powerless when he compiled 170 questions for the previous VP?

Didn't the VP know his role was powerless when he made and continues to make several promises?

If the Gov had excelled with the economy, would anyone be telling us today that the VP had no role in that success story since he is powerless?

Interestingly, sometimes the VP is praised for using the power of his office to advance digitalisation. Other times, the justification for inaction is because the role is powerless. The difficulties of defending the VP.

We simply cannot continue praising the VP for using his able office to chalk some victories and claiming the office is totally powerless when defending him for his failures. The attempt to associate the VP with success but quickly disassociate him from failures is funny, to say the very least. When the Government fails, it is the President, but when it succeeds, it is the VP. Are we serious?

Indeed the Minister of Finance has more constitutional power than the VP in managing our finances and the EMT has zero power to effect its decisions:

Once again, there is a deliberate attempt to downplay the role of the EMT. Hehehe. So let me ask the following:

Did the EMT have zero power when it was credited with arresting the Cedi and handing the keys over to the IGP?

Did the VP not know that the EMT has zero power when he touted their credibility and ability?

If our economy was strong today, would anyone suggest it had nothing to do with the EMT because it has zero power?

The deliberate attempt to remove the VP's name from any failures and the quick attempt to attach his name to any successes is an insult to our intelligence.

I trust VP Bawumia because he has been the best VP ever. Even under trying circumstances, he has shown himself not corrupt and indeed has been effective in delivering some crucial transformations:

We are told the VP is the best VP without any evidence or justification. Perhaps the writer forgot to include the justification. Let's discuss this claim under four sub-headings.

The initial expectations:

To assess the performance of an individual, the starting point is to identify what the initial objectives were. An assessment cannot be carried out in a vacuum. At the onset, the VP was expected to help transform our struggling economy. His perceived economic brilliance made us believe the NPP was the right party at the time. After 7 years in office, we can confidently say our economy is in a very bad shape. We have been downgraded multiple times by rating agencies, and our currency was at a point the worst-performing currency in the world. Did the VP achieve what was expected from him? NO.

The role of a VP:

It is common knowledge that the work of a VP cuts across different sectors. This differentiates a VP from a minister who focuses on specific sectors. So we expect the Minister of Sports to focus on Sports and the Minister of Trade to focus on trade. A VP must, however, do more than focus on a single sector. Otherwise, he/she is just a decorated Minister.

Let's say our VP excelled in the area of digitalisation. What about other sectors? The economy is particularly bad and many of the other sectors are struggling. Let's agree to give our VP an "A" in digitalisation. Can we say that because the VP excelled in digitalisation, he is better than another VP

who may not have had an "A&" but who had Cs and Ds across the different sectors?

For example, would an A-level result of ADSF be better than CCDD, in terms of gaining admission into a Uni in Ghana?

Did this VP display strong multisectoral oversight abilities? NO. I have read the excuse that he was powerless in other areas. Hmmm

The role of the past and present VPs as VPs:

Interestingly, both men have been VPs before, so we can compare the key indicators in their last year as VPs. We can look at the indicators of Ghana in the last years of President Mills and President Nana Addo. This means we can compare the economic indicators of Ghana in 2012 and 2024. Looking at the

economic data was interesting. Did the current VP do better than the previous Ex-President in terms of the performance of the economy when both were VPs? NO.

Ability to deliver on promises:

The current VP loves making promises. He has close to 50 promises associated with his name. Let's recollect a few:

No village will have water and toilet problems in our first two years

The Gov will shift from taxation to production

We don't have to borrow for roads. All we need is to toll the roads. The money is here.

We will start constructing roads with concrete rather than asphalt

Ghana will soon become the Dubai of Africa

Momo is for the poor. It will not be taxed

Ghana won't borrow because there is money in this country

The Government will give one million to each constituency

We are building a new harbour in Cape Coast

We will give each student one tablet

How many of these promises have been fulfilled? Can we find just one that has been fulfilled? When the two candidates are compared, is the current VP known to keep his promises more than the other candidate? NO.

In concluding this section, I will say despite all the NOs to the questions asked, I will not say the current VP is the worst. Such statements must be thoroughly evidence-informed, so I struggle to understand how you arrived at your assertion that he is the best VP ever, with the record I have just

shown. Kindly share the evidence supporting your claim.

I am entitled like everyone to my beliefs and choice and I believe he is a better choice:

Everyone is entitled to whatever they choose to believe, but when they draw some categorical conclusions with zero supporting evidence, they will be challenged.

All the rest of us need to do is give the man a fair hearing. Of course, you are entitled to your choice but you cheat yourself if you close your ears:

Yes, we will give our VP a fair hearing, but context matters, and we will not pretend that we have amnesia and have suddenly forgotten the past and present. This is the same rigour we must apply to all candidates.

In conclusion, I have nothing against the VP. My problem is with the presentation of opinions as facts and the attempt to conclude that the VP is the best without any justification whatsoever. Ghana has just gone through one of its most difficult periods. The cost of living has skyrocketed, and many small business operators have been forced to close down. Unemployment is a major problem.

Ordinary people are barely surviving. New taxes are introduced often, and the people get squeezed even further. In the midst of all this, corruption and galamsey are prevalent, and no one seems to be doing anything to stop them. The OSP has expressed his frustrations. We, the people of Ghana, are hugely disappointed. We will not be easily swayed by talks. The best indicator is with us. It is in our pockets. Our country is not in a good place. Some of us, like you, supported this Gov. We however cannot close our eyes to all that is happening around us, as this constitutes blind support.

Holding people in power accountable includes holding them responsible for their actions and INACTIONS. The latter is often forgotten, deliberately or otherwise.

This is how many of your constituencies (as a leader of civil society) feel. Please ask us what we think or how we feel if you still lead civil society. The response will never be homogeneous, but it will give you a balanced idea. This will ensure you do not lose touch with the sentiments of the people you

are supposed to represent.

When you spoke loudly in 2016 and before against the former Gov and we supported your concerns about the economy, we thought you were speaking as the voice of civil society. If this has changed, kindly keep us posted. There is much more to write but let me stop here. I will return when your claims are backed with

data and evidence. I believe we will learn from each other. May we all work towards a better Ghana. May we hold our leadership (irrespective of the party in

power) to the highest levels of accountability. Ghana is all we have, and we will not rest until it becomes one of the best nations on earth.