Freddie Blay, a former national chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has stated that COVID-19 and the Russian-Ukraine war should be partly blamed for the NPP’s defeat in the just-ended 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.
According to him, the international pandemic and the war orchestrated hardships for all countries, including Ghanaian society, but voters mistook the impact of the pandemic on the economy as mismanagement and voted against the government.
Speaking in an interview on Oyerepa TV on December 15, 2024, Freddie Blay, who doubles as the Chairman of the Board of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), added that even though the pandemic played a factor, Ghanaians also had their own concerns.
“Definitely, COVID-19 and the Russian-Ukraine war impacted the economy, and as I said, particularly COVID was a big factor that people have ignored. The Ukraine and Russian wars also played a part in the crises that have visited the whole world in terms of petroleum prices to the extent that it has impacted our cedi, dollar, and exchange rate, and people have exploited it and made it look like it was mismanagement.
“And it was because we were involved in, particularly our presidential candidate was involved in telling lies and so forth,... it has happened, and even as I speak now, the cedi is stabilizing and gaining strength. This is a factor analysis that I want to make.
“Because you have asked me what might have led to what happened, these are some of the factors, and then Ghanaians also have their own concerns,” he said.
The Electoral Commission Chairperson, Jean Mensa, on Monday, December 9, declared Mr. Mahama the winner, with a total of 6,328,397 votes. Dr. Bawumia received 4,657,304 votes.
Mahama's party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), achieved historic success by gaining a majority in Parliament.
According to the National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, the party has so far won 185 parliamentary seats.
AM/KA
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