Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, says Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s claim of being a mere driver's mate in this government to absolve himself of blame from the current economic difficulties is insulting.

Speaking to JoyNews’ Kwaku Asante in Parliament, the Tamale Central MP argued that regardless of one's position, a driver’s mate should still possess the capacity to address issues or offer constructive suggestions that benefit the business.

“Now if you are a driver's mate in a car that is being driven by a reckless and irresponsible driver who has put on the reverse gear and you the driver's mate realise that there are children behind the car and you say, ‘there are children behind the car’ but the driver refuses and knocks down the children, and you refuse to leave that driver,  you are not only an accomplice but an active participant.

"So he had the choice to have left that government," the MP stated.

This follows Dr Bawumia's plea to Ghanaians to vote for him as the next president to give him the mandate to implement policies that will grow the country.

“As Vice-President, I am like a driver’s mate. But if, by the Grace of God, you make me President, I will be in the driver's seat with constitutionally mandated authority to pursue my vision and my priorities," he said at a lecture on Wednesday.

Read More: Move me from driver’s mate to the driver – Bawumia pleads with Ghanaians

Mr Mohammed said it is unacceptable for Dr Bawumia to claim his advice was not heeded especially when he has been the chair of the Economic Management Team.

“The analogy of a driver's mate for me is the most insulting of all,” he stated, adding that Dr Bawumia's speech only proves that the government has failed in its duty.

The Tamale Central MP added that “the Vice President also made a statement for me that was revealing when he said that managing the finances and the economy was done by the Minister for Finance and that his focus was on the IT. There is a minister responsible for IT.”

“So the Vice President, who knows that his responsibilities are dictated by the constitution, it means that he reneged his responsibility and he took up a responsibility completely not his. So such a person, when you give him the mandate, it is very clear he is going to behave worse.”