Business

Bawumia on how COVID-19 hurt Ghana’s economy

Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has welcomed what he calls President John Dramani Mahama’s acknowledgment that the Covid-19 pandemic inflicted severe damage on Ghana’s economy.

The debate over whether the pandemic had any impact on the country’s economic downturn was a central issue during the 2024 elections.

While the then-ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) maintained that the virus disrupted markets, reduced revenue, and drove up the cost of living, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), led by Mahama, dismissed the claim. At the time, the NDC argued that the challenges stemmed only from economic mismanagement.

However, speaking at the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Mahama conceded that the pandemic had a devastating toll.

“The Covid-19 pandemic erased two decades of poverty reduction in less than two years,” he told participants.

Reacting during his campaign tour of the Eastern Region, Dr. Bawumia said Mahama’s remarks confirmed what the NPP had consistently stated.

“From 2022, when the impact of COVID-19 hit the country’s economy, prices of goods went up. And during the 2024 election, we said that the cost of living had been largely affected by COVID-19 and the Russian-Ukrainian war. When we said that, President Mahama and the NDC said we were lying,” he stated.

Dr. Bawumia accused Mahama of concealing the truth for political gain.

“They said Covid-19 had no impact on the economy. They said it was rather economic mismanagement. But I have read that President Mahama in New York has said that COVID-19 really impacted economies. He said a lot of our poverty reduction efforts in many, many years have been thwarted by Covid-19.”

He added, “The President knew the truth, but he didn’t say it during the campaign. But by the grace of God, he has now said the truth. And by God’s grace, we will all see the truth.”

Dr. Bawumia is seeking to lead the NPP in the 2028 general election. Currently, he’s contesting four other persons who share his ambition to be the flag bearer.