The Vice President Kwasi Amissah Arthur says he is ready with a response to the so-called 170 facts or questions about the economy his opposite number fired at him.

Addressing party supporters at Moree in the Central Region,  Amissah Arthur said Dr Bawumia cannot make statements and claims and demand answers to them.

At best, the NPP running mate must be bold to put his claims into questions and he will be ready to answer each one of them, Amissah Arthur stated.

The contest of economic wizardry between the two gentlemen dates back to 2012 elections when the two had a spat in a vice presidential debate.

With both of them serving at the highest position at the Bank of Ghana, Amissah Arthur being the governor and Dr Bawumia as Deputy Governor at different periods in the country's history, the two  are well vexed in economic matters.

It was the NPP running who threw the first challenge several weeks ago when he went to the home town of the Vice President.

“I hear this is Vice President Amissah Arthur’s hometown is that the case? I have been looking for him. He has 170 questions to answer and he has been running away so tell him I came to his hometown and he should answer the 170 questions. There is nowhere to hide again,” he said

Part of the questions include:

Under the 8 years of the NPP government, from 2001-2008, taxes and loans amounted to GH¢20 billion. In contrast, taxes, oil revenue, and loans alone over the 8-year period of 2009-2016 would amount to some GH¢248billion.

2. Between December 2000 and December 2008, without oil, economic growth increased from 3.7% to 9.1%. After declining to 4.8% in 2009, real GDP growth increased to 7.7% in 2010 and 14% in 2011 following the onset of oil production. Since 2011 however, real GDP growth has declined steadily and drastically to 3.9% in 2015.

 3. Between 2000 and 2008, the size of Ghana’s economy increased from some $5.1 billion to $28.5 billion, a 459% increase in eight years. Even in the face of a global economic and financial crisis in 2007/8 (with oil prices reaching a record high of $147/barrel), economic growth in 2008 rose to 9.1%. However, Ghana’s GDP, notwithstanding the discovery of oil, has only increased from $28.5 billion in 2008 to a projected $40 billion in 2016 (a 40% increase in eight years). However, between 2012 and 2016 i.e. during John Mahama’s tenure as president, the economy, in dollar terms, shrunk by 5%. 4. Under the NDC, GDP per capita has recorded a growth of 17% (from $1,266 in 2008 to a projected $1,481 in 2016) with oil revenue. Under John Mahama’s tenure as president (2012-2016), GDP per capita has declined by 12%. Under NPP on the other hand, GDP per capita recorded a growth of 187% in 8 years (from $440 to $1,266) without oil revenues. While the NPP increased per capita incomes by $826 during its term, the NDC, with twelve times more resources, has increased per capita incomes by only $215.

With nine days to go for the elections the Vice President says he is ready with answers to the questions and has challenged Dr Bawumia to bring them on.

He chose no other venue than his hometown where the challenge was thrown by Dr Bawumia to accept the challenge.

He has also taken a swipe at Dr Bawumia for suggesting that the living conditions of Ghanaians improved by 400% under the leadership of ex-president Kufuor, something was untrue.

With few days to go for the elections it is not clear if Dr Bawumia will take up the challenge once again.