Dr Bawumia goofed, how can he compare 8-year period to 2½ years - Edward Bawa

The Member of Parliament for Bongo constituency in the Upper East Region, Edward Abambire Bawa, has expressed disappointment in Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia for his remarks.

According to the NDC MP, it would have been better for the Vice-President to simply "explain to Ghanaians reasons for the recent increment" in utility tariffs rather than his attempt to play politics with the issue by "justifying" it.

The Vice President courted criticisms from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after he sought to provide statistical data to back claims the opposition government was being hypocritical with its comments on the recent increment in utility tariffs.

Dr Bawumia who was speaking at the launch of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) said: “Between 2013 and 2016, just the last four years of the NDC government, the cumulative increase in electricity tariff was 166%”.

According to him, “In 2018, we reduced electricity prices of businesses by 30% and for households by 17.5 %, an average of around 22%... So, the NDC, in their last four years, increased [electricity tariff] by 166%, we have come down since we have been in government by 5% on average”.

But in a sharp rebuttal during an interview with Adakabre Frimpong Manso, host of Neat FM's "Me Man Nti" show, Hon Bawa was of the view that the Vice-President "goofed".

“....anybody who understands comparative analysis will not compare an eight-year period to a two-year period. So on the base of comparative analysis, the Vice President didn’t get it right. The least you can do is to explain to Ghanaians reasons for the increment instead of justifying," the Bongo NDC MP noted.