Bawumia now suffering ‘economic sore throat’ – Lawyer Beatrice Anan

A member of the Communications Team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) says it is mind-boggling how the Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has lost his voice in conversations to do with the current economic crisis.

Beatrice Annan Esq. on Thursday, March 17 expressed surprise how the erstwhile “economic Messiah” has now rebranded to become an “IT expert”.

For her, the Vice President is suffering from what she calls “economic sore throat”.

Ms Annan passed these descriptions while joining discussions on New Day on TV3.

The discussions had to do with the rising cost of living occasioned by increased prices in petroleum products.

She insisted that just like Dr Bawumia had stated while her party was in power, the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration is undergoing “disgrace” and exposure in the face of a weak economy.

“The current happening in the country shows that when the fundamentals of any economy is weak, the exchange rate will not only expose you, it will disgrace you and it will further cause the leader of an Economic Management Team to be in abeyance and probably rebrand from being an economic wizkid to an IT expert or perhaps a silent man suffering from what I will call economic sore throat.”

She said it is now obvious the current administration has become helpless in managing the economy.

“These guys do not know what they are doing. Absolutely governance has been reduced to naught.”

But countering the NDC Communicator, Ellen Ama Daaku, who called herself a footsoldier of the NPP, insisted that the current crisis is a global phenomenon and frantic efforts are being made by the government to arrest the situation.

She said a cabinet meeting later on Thursday, March 17 will definitely discuss the current issues, particularly the acute rise in fuel prices.

Madam Ama Daaku wondered why Dr Bawumia is the only one opponents are calling out to comment on the economy as she listed the likes of the Finance Minister as equally competent to comment on the economy.

In any case, she insisted, comments made by any of these government officials will not solve the crisis but action, and that is what the government is committed to.

“You don’t ask [Dr Bawumia] to speak [because] he is not the only person who manages the economy. There is a Finance Minister.

“The Finance Minister has been out and about explaining his policies. You can ask the Finance Minister that question. The Vice President will speak when it is time for him to speak.

“Between him speaking and the Finance Minister doing his job, and all of us asking questions that will make our lives easier, I think that is more important than asking the Vice President to speak.

“Whether the Vice President speaks or he does not speak, how is that affecting the fuel we are buying this morning?” she wondered.