A former General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Agyei Agyapong, has downplayed attempts by political opponents to blame the woes of the incumbent New Patriotic Party administration largely on the Vice President and now flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

In the view of Mr Agyapong, unlike the National Democratic Congress’ flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama who has been President before, the same cannot be said of Dr Bawumia.

The main opposition party has repeatedly singled out the Vice President and criticized him for the struggles of the Ghanaian economy on the basis that he touted himself as an economic messiah while in opposition, and threw a lot of jibes at the NDC and its leader.

According to the NDC, the rising public debt caused by excessive borrowing, the struggles of the Ghanaian cedi against major international currencies, high inflation among others, have exposed the Vice President as inept, considering that he spoke harshly against lesser versions of these problems back in opposition.

The Vice President has also not been spared for the failures of the NPP government particularly because of his role as the head of the government’s economic management team.

But speaking on Upfront on Joy News, Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyapong said to be fair to the Vice President, the buck does not stop with him.

He thus suggested that comparing him to the NDC’s John Mahama who has been both a Vice President and a President would not be fair.

“Let’s not create the impression that the current government hasn’t done anything positive. I don’t subscribe to that. There have been shortcomings and difficulties on different fronts, it’s a fact, and that’s a reality that we face. And he [Bawumia] as a Vice President, would have to carry some of that.”

He however noted that, “At the end of the day, John Mahama would know more than most because he’s been Vice President and President, and he knows there’s a sea of difference in the two offices, so we’ve got to cut Dr Bawumia some slack; the buck doesn’t stop with him. In any case, there have been a lot of areas that we can be proud of as a government, and areas that I think we need improvement.”

“With John Mahama, he’s had the opportunity. He’s been President already, Bawumia has not been president before so at least we can give him the benefit of the doubt. John has been Vice President and President, so the things that he’s saying he’s going to do, he had the opportunity to do them but he didn’t do them. So, how are we to believe that he will do them this time round?” he quizzed.

“At least, Dr Bawumia hasn’t been president before and that’s a big difference, and John Mahama should know the difference between the two offices better because he has occupied both. That’s why I am prepared to cut Dr Bawumia some slack and give him the benefit of the doubt and support him.

According to the former NPP flagbearer aspirant, it is the ability of Dr Bawumia to carry through a vision that will change the status quo that will make the difference.

“So, I think it’s his vision on how to cut the waste to make sure that there’s value for money on government contracts and procurement; that’s where we are bleeding a lot as a country and as a civil engineer I know what I am talking about. The cost of a kilometer of road in Ghana is about the most expensive on the African continent, and it shouldn’t be so.”

So, it’s not so much about the politicking. At the end of the day, once you win the confidence of the Ghanaian people that you are calm enough, you have the emotional stability and the emotional intelligence to deal with the difficult situations we find ourselves as Ghanaians, that’s what matters. And I think he has shown in this very tough electoral environment that he was able to withstand some of the strong jibes that were delivered.”

Ing. Kwabena Agyapong noted that the future of the NPP was still very bright particularly with a young leader like Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, adding that he has a great opportunity to chart a new course for the party.

In his view, a lot can change within the next one year that will favour the NPP at the polls. He said the President would have to sit down with the Vice President and discuss how to enhance his chances of winning the election.

“12 months in a political life is a long time. A week they say in politics is a very long time, how much more 12 months. I think that there are a few things that he can tweak and change.”