ACCRA, Ghana — The vice president of Ghana and the presidential candidate of the ruling party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, is promising to halve the size of government if voted into office in December.
Bawumia, 60, who became the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party in November, launched his campaign here on Wednesday with the theme “Bold solutions for the future.” He said an “efficient system of governance” would work with fewer ministers. “I will therefore have no more than 50 ministers and deputy ministers.” He also promised to scrap unpopular taxes and levies, including a controversial E-levy on mobile transactions.
The flagbearer of the main opposition party, ex-president John Mahama has previously said he will appoint fewer than 60 ministers if given a second chance to run the West African country.
Bawumia is trying to set himself apart from the current government of President Nana Akufo Addo, even though he is a key player in it. The administration has been criticized for an unwieldy inefficiency with some 110 ministers. And in the last year it has been blamed for high inflation, particularly food, and the general poor state of the economy, which led to the country seeking a bailout from the IMF.
In defense of his role in government as vice-president Bawumia said he has not been in control, describing himself as a “driver’s mate” rather than the driver.
