Those who fact-checked Bawumia after he gave his remarks were all wrong – Boako

According to Dr. Gideon Boako, people are usually rushing to fact-check allegations made by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President’s Spokesperson.

He urged people verifying Dr. Bawumia’s statements to double-check their facts because they all got them incorrect in their analysis of the economic talk delivered on Thursday, April 7.

“Usually, when Vice President Bawumia talks, people are in a hurry to do what they term fact-check and attempt to tie him down to claim he lied,” he remarked on the First Take show on 3FM with host Dzifa Bampoh on Tuesday, April 12th. They must be accurate, and anyone who demands equity must do so with clean hands. If you ask me, those that fact-check each other all make mistakes.”

Dr. Bawumia elucidated the causes of the country’s current economic difficulties. Some of the difficulties he linked to the current Russia-Ukraine conflict as well as the Covid crisis.

He did not, however, address the contentious e-levy program that was passed by Parliament.

“Let me ask this question: is it the normal practice even in the corporate world that if Media General takes a decision that this is what you want to do, a manager or a programs head comes out to say that at the table, this was my view but we have taken the decision?” Dr. Boako explained why the Vice President remained silent on the policy. Or you’ll all go along with whatever decision Media General makes.

“The [E-levy] is a policy of the government.” It makes no difference what comments were made prior to the implementation of such policy. Whether you sat at the table and expressed your support or disapproval, the decision is ultimately made by the group, and what you say is irrelevant.

“Keep in mind, you don’t come out of cabinet meetings shouting your opinion and pushing it out; that doesn’t happen anywhere.” What matters is that when the government makes a decision, all actors are obligated to follow it, whether or not they agree with it. Are you not a team player if you come out after cabinet has made a decision and claim, “I’m the one who championed the proposal” or “I didn’t support it when it was tabled”?

“It’s not done anywhere because it’s unethical. So there you have it. The fact that the e-levy was approved by cabinet and ratified by parliament is what matters now. We are individuals and citizens, and we may have our own emotions to paying tax and the specific tax in question. We are obligated and responsible as citizens to pay after it has been approved.

“We must ensure that the government is held accountable in order to ensure that the tax’s intended purpose is met. That, I believe, is where we should be concentrating our efforts at this time. After e-levy was passed, the President didn’t mention it much in his State of the Nation speech.

“I don’t see why the Vice President had to take time and go into the problem after the e-levy was passed,” says the Vice President.