A senior member of the Mahamudu Bawumia flagbearer bid in the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akomea asked “not to be beaten” after his co-panelist on live TV bombarded him with evidence of his principal’s poor economic record.
Akomea while appearing on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana show (September 15) rejected the claims that Bawumia had failed in managing the economy explaining that the Economic Management Team (EMT) he leads was answerable to the cabinet and ultimately the president.
“The Economic Management Team (EMT) works up to the cabinet. They don’t have any power to do anything. It is not even in the Constitution. The Vice President’s role is officially assigned to him in Article 60 (1).
“So, this business about he is in charge of the economy and has failed won’t wash,” he submitted to rebut North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s critique of Bawumia as a Vice President and flagbearer hopeful.
After a back and forth over the true role of the EMT and why Bawumia had to take the fall for its failings, Ablakwa read portions of the Constitution that showed that Bawumia could be assigned roles by the president and that in this case, he was in charge of the EMT.
“The biggest platform they gave him as Vice President, he touted the solid EMT, why didn’t he tout cabinet… he was talking about solid EMT. Now you are running, now you say we should go to cabinet.
“That it is not in the Constitution. Let me ready Article 60 (1) “There shall be a Vice President of Ghana, who shall perform such functions as may be assigned to him by this Constitution or by the President.”
“And he has been assigned a duty as the Chairman of the Economic Management Team by the president. He stood on a platform and touted the EMT, he didn’t list cabinet… and ended up saying, “What a solid team, it was EMT…” Ablakwa charged.
After bombarding Akomea with a series of facts, the one-time lawmaker replied in jest: “Don’t come and beat me,” which comment had the two guests and show host Randy Abbey laughing.
Source: ghanaweb.com
