The New Patriotic Party’s flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has addressed recent critiques suggesting that he has shifted from Ghana’s economic challenges to digitalization. According to Bawumia, digitalization is a central element of his economic plan and is not intended to sidestep critical economic issues but to address them through transformative technology.
His comments follow criticisms from the opposition, notably the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its flagbearer John Dramani Mahama, who have accused him of downplaying urgent economic concerns. Bawumia defended his approach at the launch of the National Credit Scoring System, a digital initiative aimed at enhancing credit accessibility for Ghanaians.
He stated that such digital solutions are fundamental to his strategy to tackle issues like financial access, transparency, and economic inclusion. He highlighted that digital tools are intended to create a modernized economic system that supports efficiency, fairness, and broader participation.
For example, the implementation of mobile money interoperability has increased financial inclusion by enabling easy transfers across different mobile networks, offering a practical example of how digital initiatives can benefit Ghana’s economy.
“When I was pushing for the implementation of these projects, many people said I had abandoned economics to pursue digitalisation. They did not understand that I was just using digitalisation to solve economic problems.
“I remember when I made a statement in 2017 that with the implementation of mobile money interoperability, every Ghanaian will be able to have a bank account, when I said that, many people did not understand it. They even made jokes about it. They did not think it was possible. But today we have made it possible.”
By: Sammi Wiafe
