The running-mate of Nana Akufo-Addo, NPP flagbearer, Mahamudu Bawumia, has called on the youth to be bold and innovative and always aspire to think big in their endeavours. He indicated that such characteristics are very helpful to move the country forward. "Explore new ideas, have big dreams; as this is the only way you can do bigger things in life,” he stressed. Dr Bawumia was addressing a cross-section of youth at a forum held at the Ablekuma Central Constituency of the Greater Accra Region. Bawumia, the youngest man to have risen through the various ranks to become a Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, stated that people who fail to think big always find themselves doing very small things in society as they do not have the belief in themselves. He called on the youth to challenge themselves into doing things others consider impossible, noting that this is the only way they can change the society. He noted that his selection symbolises the belief of Nana Akufo-Addo that the youth have a role to play in the development of Ghana. “The youth have a significant role to play in Ghana and I am happy to lead you to perform your responsible roles. We should therefore begin to think big, dream big and challenge ourselves to do bigger things in life,” he urged the youth. Dr Bawumia stated that the success story of President Kufuor's administration stems from the fact that they were not afraid to challenge themselves into doing what others consider impossible. The running-mate noted that the NPP government under Nana Akufo-Addo will empower the youth through education so they can renew their energies for Ghana's development. He noted that many countries that Ghana was leading at the time of independence have wiped out illiteracy and there is no reason Ghana cannot do same. “Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea have all seen greater level of development because they focused on education and managed to wipe out illiteracy. We can also do same here,” he indicated. Dr Bawumia stressed that the NPP government has shown keen interest in youth development through making education accessible to all irrespective of their economic condition. He stated that the huge expansion in the education sector from using only 4.4% of GDP when the NPP took over in 2001 to the present 9.1% coupled with many social anchors like the capitation grant, the school feeding programme and many educational infrastructure development did not happen by chance but as a result of effective management strategies put in place by the government. On why Ghanaians should not make the mistake of voting back the NDC, the running mate likened the opposition party to works of a bad mason that could not withstand shocks. “Now the shoddy NDC has come back to be given the chance to finish the job. Will you give them the job?” he enquired. “Certainly you will never give them the job because doing so will mean going backward. We are moving forward and it is the NPP that can move Ghana forward,” he stressed. He said the achievements of the NPP are there for all to see. “Under NPP we have moved from a HIPC economy where 25% of our budget allocation was used to service interest on debt alone to an economy that has been able to issue a Eurobond on the international market which was significantly oversubscribed. “Today we do not need to get approval from the IMF before undertaking our development projects. We are independent of any external financial institutions and this has come about as a result of good economic management by the NPP government and these achievements should not be made to go waste,” the running-mate explained. Dr Bawumia also called on Ghanaians to conduct this election peacefully and in dignity. “What is the point of destroying ourselves just because of election?” he enquired. He noted that election is a battle of ideas and not of might and that win or lose we should see that every Ghanaian is important in our common struggle for development. Source: Statesman