Bawumia Is Best to Succeed Akufo-Addo – Bentil

Vice president Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has proven himself well as heir apparent of his boss Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, a top official of IMANI Africa has stated.

Kofi Bentil, a vice president of the policy think-tank, is optimistic the former deputy governor of the Bank of Ghana has asserted himself well in opposition and in office to step into the shoes of Nana Addo.

“On my own assessment, I believe presently, if you look across the political scene the best person to take over after President Nana Addo will be Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia,” the private legal practitioner said of the economist.

Dr. Bawumia has been at the forefront in most of the government reform programmes such as the formalization of the economy through the mobile money interoperability system, the paperless ports and e-registration of businesses, the Ghana Card to be issued from Monday, digital address system and the digital land registration system.

Mr. Bentil believes Dr. Bawumia will have it easy replacing Akufo-Addo when he retires if he keeps his focus and even do more.

“If he continues the way he is going and continues to give me the confidence he gives me and if nobody emerges and gives me greater confidence, I’ll vote for him,” Mr. Bentil told Ghanaweb.

In August 2017, President Akufo-Addo patted his vice Dr. Bawumia on the back for “his commendable brilliance and high sense of responsibility.”

According to Akufo-Addo, the Bank of Ghana should be proud to have had one of its own as a vice president whose dedication to work “befits a central banker of quality.”

Whilst saluting all the governors, boards of directors, top management, Monetary Policy Committee members, and staff, both past and present, for their dedication and service to the Bank, President indicated that it was auspicious that on the occasion of its 60th birthday, “one of your own should be occupying the high office of Vice President of the Republic, an office whose functions he is discharging with commendable brilliance and high sense of responsibility, as befits a central banker of quality.”

A former deputy agriculture minister William Quaitoo has also supported the idea for Bawumia to succeed Akufo-Addo when his tenure is exhausted.

Asked by Bola Ray on Starr Chat on Wednesday, September 13, if Dr. Bawumia should succeed Akufo-Addo as flag bearer of the party Mr. Quaitoo said “yes” adding the move will help the NPP erase the perception that it is an Akan-inclined party.

“Yes, in the sense that NPP has been treated for far too long as being an Akan party, though his [Dr. Bawumia] tribe are in the minority, I think seriously that if NPP should elect Dr. Bawumia as our next flag bearer when Nana steps down it will go a long way to erase this erroneous impression.”

Source: Starrfmonline