Former Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, has called on delegates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to dismiss claims that former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia was responsible for the mismanagement of the economy under the party’s administration, maintaining that he remains the strongest candidate to lead the party.
According to her, Dr Bawumia should not be singled out for blame over the party’s economic difficulties, noting that his influence over key economic decisions was limited.
Speaking to some NPP delegates, Adwoa Safo highlighted the role played by other senior government officials, particularly former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, in determining economic policy.
“Was Dr Bawumia the finance minister? Were we not in government when some MPs said, because of the way our economy is being mismanaged, we should change the finance minister did we? Didn’t he damage everything before he was changed, so how can we blame this on Bawumia?”
She further argued that the former Vice President did not have the authority to overturn decisions taken at the highest levels of government. “He was only the driver’s mate and could not overrule the driver, even if the driver was not performing well,” she said.
Her remarks come amid criticism from some flagbearer aspirants in the ongoing NPP presidential primaries, who have attributed the party’s economic record in government to Dr Bawumia.
The NPP is expected to elect its presidential candidate on January 31, 2026, ahead of the next general elections. Dr Bawumia is one of five aspirants vying for the slot, alongside former Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong, former Minister for Food and Agriculture Dr Bryan Acheampong, former Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, and former NPP General Secretary Kwabena Agyapong.
