We've constructed more infrastructure than any government – Bawumia

Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has said "notwithstanding the economic challenges of our time, our government has constructed more infrastructure than any other government in the fourth republic".

He also told supporters of the governing New Patriotic Party on Friday, 16 June 2023 that the Akufo-Addo government has also introduced "many transformational policies for the first time in our history, including the Ghanacard, Digital Address, Mobile Money Interoperability, Delivery of medicines by drones, One District One Factory, Planting for Food and Jobs, Zongo Development Fund, Agenda 111, Free TVET and Free SHS to mention a few. We have also created 2.1 million jobs in six years, more than any government in the fourth republic".

Dr Bawumia made the assertion after filing his flag bearer nomination forms at the NPP's headquarters in Accra.

Read Dr Bawumia's full speech below:

SPEECH BY DR. MAHAMUDU BAWUMIA ON FILING OF NOMINATION FORM FOR 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

1. Thank you all for the overwhelming support you have shown me today. I am very humbled by this massive show of support. I would also like to thank my dear wife Samira and all my family for the support you have given me all these years. God bless you all.

2. Dear friends, I have just filed my nomination forms to contest as flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party for the 2024 Presidential Elections. I believe this is the first step to our victory in 2024, by the Grace of God.

3. This is a very important day in my life. From Sakasaka Primary School to Tamale Secondary School, to Oxford University, to Bank of Ghana as Deputy Governor and then to become Vice President of the Republic of Ghana. It has been an amazing journey and I thank God for how far he has brought me.

4. Dear friends, it has not been an easy journey. It has taken a lot of hard work, discipline and patience to get here. I have walked to school growing up in Moshie Zongo in Tamale. I have been a by-day worker on farms during holidays in secondary school, I have been a warehouse boy even after finishing university, and I have been a minicab driver. I was only able to pay fees for one term during my studies at Oxford University and had to survive for the rest of my studies without paying fees, thanks to my College. I only settled my fees in arrears after I started work following the completion of my PhD in Canada.

5. I have also been a cleaner of dormitories in my university days in Canada. So, I can say that I have not had it easy at all. But I have always believed that with hard work, honesty, discipline and faith in God, one can fulfill one’s God given potential.

6. My life experience tells me never to take anything for granted and always to have respect for people no matter their stature in life; no matter how big or how small they are. The cleaner or driver you meet today can be a Vice President or President tomorrow.

7. I care about the poor, I care about the vulnerable and the excluded. I care about the Lepers, I care about the sick, the sickle cell sufferers and cancer patients, I care about the disabled, I care about the Kayayei, I care about street children, and I care about the unemployed amongst others. This is the true essence of life; to address the problems of the weakest among us and to help them lift themselves up.

8. I am not afraid of hard work. In fact, I enjoy hard work. My experience in life tells me that honesty and hard work pays. I worked hard for H.E. President Kufuor as Deputy Governor at the Bank of Ghana and I have worked hard as Vice President in assisting the President, H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo, achieve his vision.

Together, we started the process of transforming Ghana into a country ready for the fourth Industrial Revolution. I brought honesty, hard work, dedication and discipline to my role as Vice President.

9. Notwithstanding the economic challenges of our time, our government has constructed more infrastructure than any other government in the fourth republic and many transformational policies have been introduced for the first time in our history, including the Ghanacard, Digital Address, Mobile Money Interoperability, Delivery of medicines by drones, One District One Factory, Planting for Food and Jobs, Zongo Development Fund, Agenda 111, Free TVET and Free SHS to mention a few. We have also created 2.1 million jobs in six years, more than any government in the fourth republic.

10. Having implemented these transformational policy initiatives, it is very important that we don’t go backwards as a country. We cannot put the country back in the hands of people who don’t have an understanding of and belief in the vision. That is why it important for us to break the eight. There is still much more to do.

11. I also have my own vision for Ghana. I believe that it is time to move Ghana to the next level by building on the foundations we have put in place so far.

12. Together with you, I want to see a Ghana where we leverage technology, data and systems for inclusive economic growth. I want to make Ghana the digital hub of Africa. I want us to bridge the digital divide and apply digital technology and artificial intelligence for the transformation of healthcare, education, and public service delivery amongst others.

13. Together with you, I want to see a Ghana with an education system tilted towards STEM, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, digital and vocational skills to cope with the demands of fourth Industrial Revolution.

14. Together with you, I want to see a Ghana where we cater and care for the the poor, vulnerable, excluded and sick people.

15. Together with you, I want to see a Ghana where we attain food security in the shortest possible time through the application of science, data, Artificial Intelligence, Satellite, Internet of Things (IOT) and irrigation to commercial farming. We will also complete the ongoing digitalisation of data on all farms across the 16 regions.

16. Together with you, I want to see a Ghana where we maximise the benefits from our natural resources like gold and lithium through policies like, value addition, setting up an LBMA certified gold refinery, enhancing the gold for oil policy, and dedication of specific gold concessions to the Bank of Ghana to enhance their accumulation of gold reserves.

17. Together with you, I want to see Ghana as an industrialised nation. I want to entrench and enhance the current strategy of industrialisation that we have embarked on and introduce new technology like digital manufacturing for the manufacturing of spare parts, syringes, and other equipment.

18. Together with you, I want to see a Ghana with robust fiscal discipline in the management of our public finances to sustainably and significantly reduce bank lending rates.

19. Together with you, I want to see a Ghana with an empowered local business sector, especially startups and SMEs to drive investment and growth. We will transform the SME landscape by providing unique identifiers and using technology to help them access new financing and markets. I also want to provide incentives to the private sector to replace government in the provision of a significant amount of infrastructure and many other services.

20. Together with you, I want to see a Ghana with a developed and efficient credit system through credit scoring by credit reference agencies by leveraging on integrated databases across banks, DVLA, NIA, Digital Address systems etc. to enable workers buy furniture, cars, TVs, fridges and homes (mortgages) on credit at lower cost.

21. Together with you, I want to see a Ghana with energy self-sufficiency at reduced cost through solar and other renewables with the application of market efficiency to the energy market.

22. Together with you, I want to see a Ghana with an enhanced focus on private and public investment in tourism, creative arts and sports.

23. This is not an exhaustive list and in due course we will have a chance to lay out a comprehensive Manifesto for Ghanaians.

24. Dear friends, over the last 22 years, I have worked hard with you for the NPP and for Ghana from during the Kufuor era as Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, through our years in opposition and now in government. During this period, I have sacrificed for the party, I have defended the party in good times and in challenging times, I have never wavered nor slacked. Never! and I have built a solid track record of performance as Vice President and unflinching loyalty to our party and government through rain or shine.

25. I have a compelling vision for Ghana’s future. It is possible for Ghana to be like the advanced nations if we put our minds and energies to it. With the technologies available, the new ones that are emerging, and a renewed mindset, we can leapfrog impossibilities and make the unimaginable possible. It is possible to break the eight, in order to continue with the transformational policies we have started. It is possible!

26. And that is why I am offering myself, in all humility, to contest in the primaries of this phenomenal party, the great New Patriotic Party, to become our flagbearer, and presidential candidate for election 2024 and Insha Allah, the President of the Republic of Ghana.

27. I am counting on your support from now through the primaries to the general election in December 2024 and beyond. By the grace of God, Insha Allah, victory will be ours. Thank you, God bless the NPP and God bless our homeland Ghana.