The Works and Housing Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has defended Dr Mahamudu Bawumia's approach to tackling the high cost of living, asserting that the Vice President has clearly outlined his plans in his manifesto, addressing the key areas that contribute to the issue.

In an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah emphasised that Dr. Bawumia’s strategy goes beyond mere rhetoric, focusing on four critical areas: energy, rent, transport, and food. He argued that the Vice President’s proposals are not only specific but also actionable.

 “Dr Bawumia made it clear in his manifesto how he intends to reduce the cost of living across the board,” Oppong Nkrumah said, and added, “He detailed his plans for each of the key areas that impact living cost in Ghana.”

On energy, Mr Oppong Nkrumah highlighted Dr. Bawumia’s plan to introduce 2,000 megawatts of solar power as a significant move to lower energy costs. “This is not just a promise; it's a concrete step towards reducing the burden of energy expenses on Ghanaians,” he stated.

Addressing transportation costs, the minister pointed out Dr. Bawumia’s proposal to transition to high-capacity electric vehicles. “He has spoken about shifting to electric vehicles to mitigate the factors that drive up public transport costs, such as fuel prices and spare parts. By eliminating fuel costs and controlling spare parts prices through flat-rate import duties, the plan is comprehensive,” he explained.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah asserted that Dr Bawumia made it clear that he was going to have to dilute the current cost of energy by bringing on board about 2000 megawatts of solar power specific.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah also touched on the issue of food inflation, noting that Dr. Bawumia has been extensive in his approach to containing food prices. On the subject of rent, he referred to Dr. Bawumia’s commitment to improving access to housing, which is expected to eventually bring down rental costs. “I heard Franklin talk about social housing, and Dr. Bawumia has indeed addressed this by outlining a program to boost access to housing, aiming to reduce overall rent costs,” he said.

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Furthermore, the minister discussed the importance of currency stability, which is a significant concern for many Ghanaians. He explained how Dr. Bawumia plans to expand the gold purchase program, which currently supports the gold-for-oil initiative, to cover other foreign exchange demands.

 “You have multinationals in this company that are sometimes looking for 100,000,200 million, to evacuate out of a country. And now, as he explained, the move is to now get them to give us the cedi so that we can go through the gold purchase program to ensure that they get dollars on the other side without putting pressure on the limited Forex on the market, and that's a big, bold move to curb the demand for Forex on the Ghanaian market. So I think he's been specific.” he said

In response to concerns raised by Franklin Cudjoe, the Founding President of Imani Africa, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah acknowledged that some of these ideas have been suggested before but emphasized that the difference now lies in execution. “For instance, when Dr. Bawumia talks about a ‘Buy Ghana First’ policy, he’s not just repeating an old idea. This time, it will be backed by legislation. The commitment to enforce this policy through legal means sets it apart from past proposals,” he asserted.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah also spoke of Dr. Bawumia’s plans to amend the Public Procurement Act and the Local Content Bill to ensure that Ghanaian products are prioritised in public procurement. “This is about more than just reducing costs; it’s about creating a sustainable framework that supports local businesses and strengthens the economy,” he said.