The vice president and flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, can only currently offer counsel; he cannot currently make decisions, according to Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the member of parliament for Suame.
On Wednesday, the former Majority Leader spoke at a press conference, offering details about the NPP’s 2024 manifesto.
The head of the NPP manifesto committee made these remarks in response to criticism leveled at Dr. Bawumia’s pledge to reverse some of the current administration’s policies.
Some Ghanaians have questioned why the Vice President chose to carry out those policies when he could have done so now while his party is still in power, rather than when he was elected president on December 7.
However, Mr. Kyei-Mensah has made it clear that the President of Ghana alone has executive authority.
He highlighted the fact that conditions and societal demands shift with time by citing previous presidents who unveiled fresh manifestos while serving in office.
He said:
“The Vice President is an adviser to the president, he’s the prime adviser. It doesn’t mean that whatever is proposed by the Vice President should be taken by the president because as I said, the executive authority is in one person,”
“President Rawlings succeeded himself in 1996. Did he have the same manifesto as he had in 1992? The 1996 manifesto of the NDC was significantly different from the 1992 even though Rawlings succeeded himself.
“President Kufour succeeded himself, the second stanza of his administration, the manifesto was marketed differently because society is dynamic. President Mahama, when he succeeded President Mills, didn’t have the same manifesto, he didn’t repeat the same manifesto because circumstances have changed. This should be obvious. Executive authority in this country is vested in one person,”
He emphasized that Dr. Bawumia’s pledges to remove the electronic charge, the betting tax, and the reinstatement of road tolls are not indicative of his vice presidential powers at this time, but rather are part of the NPP’s 2024 manifesto.
